One Moment
by Forever the Optimist
Summary: *Sequel to my first story Mystery Girl, read that first (you won't be sorry)* Elizabeth Lancaster dreams of a mad man in a blue box flying through space. She knows it can't exist, but when a spaceship crash lands with a most interesting person inside, she is swept off into another madcap adventure with the Doctor to finish what she started and remember once and for all who she is.
1. An Unexpected Arrival

Somewhere high in the Swiss Alps, a young woman sat huddled outside a tent, nursing a cup of coffee. It was the middle of the night, and this makeshift campground was remarkably quiet. Three tents could be seen, one filled with scientific equipment, the other two with sleeping bags. The silence was broken only by the squawking of a radio.

"Unseasonably warm weather has swept across the globe these last few days, along with highly overcast skies that just don't seem to go away. Meteorologists are baffled by what seems to be an entirely illogical series of events. While very little predictions can be made as to when the weather might return to normal, the Swiss government urges the nation to stay calm until this all blows over."

Elizabeth Lancaster reached over and shut off the radio with a sigh. She glanced up at the cloud-covered sky, then reached for the telescope resting on the tripod next to her. Pulling the eyepiece around, she focused in on the clouds above her.

"Something about that isn't right," she murmured. "They're too light, too yellow. Too… something."

There was a rustling behind her, then a sleepy-eyed man emerged from one of the tents. "Still up?" he asked blearily, pulling out a blanket.

"Had a dream." He wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and she smiled up at him gratefully. "Sorry if I woke you, Evin."

"Elizabeth, I'm your fiance. It is a privilege to be woken up by you." Evin was a tall man, well over six feet, with a bit of a paunch unusual in a man in his late twenties. A brilliant mathematical mind and a great cook, Evin had sharp eyes and a sharper tongue. He settled himself on the ground beside her. "The flying blue box again?" She nodded. "I figured. Those always seem to wake you up."

"So I came out here, just to see." She pointed at the telescope, its glass eye still pointed at the sky. "I thought maybe, you know…" She hesitated, then forged on. "Maybe this time it wasn't just a dream."

Evin rubbed his eyes. "Beth, love, we've talked about this. A flying police box that's bigger inside? A man with two hearts dancing about time and space having adventures?" He shifted sideways to face her. "Elizabeth, you're a scientist. Scientists deal in facts, in cold, hard evidence, in numbers and calculations and real knowledge. Be realistic. You know there's no way this could exist."

"Yes, I know," she said defensively. "But it doesn't hurt to dream. Doesn't hurt to hope that maybe, somewhere, this Doctor might be real."

"But he's not," Evin said bluntly. "Time travel?" He shook his head. "Honestly, Bethie. You're smarter than that."

"Smarter than that?" Elizabeth repeated. "Smarter? Evin, I'm 24 years old completing my research for a Ph.d. I've risen through the ranks of Imperial College London faster than anyone I know."

"Elizabeth, I'm not saying that!" Evin put in hastily. "I'm not saying that at all!"

"Then what are you saying?" she shot back. "Daring to believe in something extraordinary is idiotic? Our field is out there, Evin," she said, pointing straight up to the overcast sky. "Out there in the stars. We can't afford to keep our feet on the ground. This kind of work didn't even exist a hundred years ago. Who know's what could be coming?"

Evin started to jump in, but Elizabeth powered right over him. "Besides, with all the millions of stars in the millions of galaxies, how could there not be life out there somewhere? You want numbers, you want cold hard facts? You want realism? Tell me this, then. What are the chances, really, that we are the only intelligent life in the universe?"

Evin couldn't meet her eyes. "Incredibly low," he admitted. "But even if there is, what are the odds that that intelligent life is exactly how it is in your dreams? It's just your subconscious manifesting itself, Bethie. It's not some premonition."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to argue further, but Evin cut her off. "It's the middle of the night," he said wearily, "and we've had this argument before, and we've never gotten anywhere. Just…" He ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair, which Elizabeth found adorable, however angry she might be. "Just leave it be, alright?"

"Alright." Elizabeth sighed, trying to blow out her frustration. Evin settled back, leaning on his elbows and staring up at the sky. They sat in silence for a moment, drinking in the night air.

"So," Evin said at last, "besides the flying box, what are you looking at?"

"The clouds," Elizabeth said, pushing the eye of the telescope over towards him. "They just don't look right. They shouldn't be here." Evin peered through the lens, focusing the image. "And it's not just here," she continued, "it's everywhere, all over the world. I've been listening to the news," she said, pointing to the radio. Evin glanced up at her, surprised.

"You realize that's in German, right? When did you learn German?"

Elizabeth blinked. "Er… I don't remember. I'm not sure I did, honestly. Realize, I mean."

Evin stared at her for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe you picked it up as a child?"

"Probably," she answered, but she wasn't quite convinced.

After an awkward pause, Evin continued. "So what were they saying on the news?"

"Oh, right. So these clouds are all over the world, all at the same time. But they're higher, extremely high, and nobody knows why. And it's warmer, too," she continued, waving her hands around at the Swiss night. "It shouldn't be this warm, not this high up. We're having extra rainfall, too. It's like…" She hesitated. "It's like the planet is preparing for a crisis."

Evin pulled away from the telescope. "Well," he said carefully, "I'm no meteorologist, but the clouds do look a bit yellow to me, yes. But what can we do about it?" he asked. "We're here to view the lunar eclipse, remember? Taking new photos to strengthen Eddington's proof of relativity? Although if this keeps up," he muttered, scowling up at the overcast sky, "we'll miss the eclipse entirely."

"I know, I know," she said with a groan. "And I know there's probably nothing we can do, but nothing ever got done by not trying." She stretched and yawned. "Besides, if we're going to miss the eclipse, we might as well be doing _something."_

"I suppose."Evin got to his feet, bending down to kiss her gently. "Goodnight." She watched him stumble back to his tent and crawl inside, trying not to laugh as he struggled to fit his tremendous height into the narrow canvas structure.

She waited until she could hear his faint snores, then turned back to her telescope. Fitting the eyepiece to her eye, she scanned the skies again, searching for even a single star. She moved the lens slowly, scanning each patch of darkness for something unusual before moving on to the next. It all seemed so remarkably the same.

Elizabeth was just about to give up when she saw it: A patch of clear sky, with clouds still roiling around it. She glanced up, following the path of the telescope up, up, up until she saw the few visible stars poking through.

But that wasn't all. One of the stars was falling - no, not falling, she realized, but crashing. And it certainly wasn't a star.

"A spaceship," she murmured in awe. True, it wasn't a blue box, but there was no mistaking it - this was a genuine space ship, and it was headed her way.

As she watched, a smaller pod broke off from the main ship, careening off into the sky. The main ship plunged farther and farther down until it was lost from sight. The pod, on the other hand, though clearly damaged, was winding its way through the mountains - winding its way, Elizabeth was suddenly certain, towards her. She winced as it went down, smoking, in a stand of trees hardly a kilometer away from her own two feet.

"I'm coming," Elizabeth whispered, grabbing her boots and pulling them on. "Don't you go anywhere." Abandoning her telescope, she plunged into the darkness.

* * *

After what felt like ages, Elizabeth arrived at the crashed pod. She bent over, trying to catch her breath and cursing herself for not joining track at university. When at last she felt she could breathe, she stepped cautiously forward.

The pod had torn a hole in the forest copse, leaving charred tree trunks and loose pine needles in its wake. A woman was clambering out of the wreckage, surprising Elizabeth - she hadn't expected anyone could survive such a crash. She shrank back into the trees, deciding that it might be better to begin with observation.

The woman certainly appeared to be human, which somehow disappointed Elizabeth. She was wearing a tan dress with an almost vest-like top and a sharp V-neck, with a thick brown belt strapped around her waist. Just below it was a another brown leather belt, this one with two gun holsters hanging from the sides. Knee-high boots and dark leggings completed her ensemble. And her hair! This may have been the most remarkable thing about her: a mass of dirty blonde curls that created a sort of wreathe around her head.

 _She looks,_ Elizabeth thought, _like she means business._

As if reading her mind, the strange woman leapt free of the battered pod and strode straight towards where Elizabeth was concealed. "I'm Professor River Song, archaeologist," she said briskly, sticking out a hand. "And you are definitely not human."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello everyone! It is wonderful to see you again after my, what, three days of hiatus? If you are a new reader I highly highly recommend reading that one first, as everything will make ever so much more sense once you have. If you're one of my old fans then welcome back, it is so very good to see you! I hope you're as intrigued as I am regarding this next adventure of Miss Elizabeth, or should we say, Mystery. If you haven't worked it out and didn't read my other author's notes, this takes place after the last chapter of Mystery Girl but before the epilogue, which is fun. The rest you should be able to figure out from context. So! It is wonderful to be back! If you're curious as to what I did during my very short break, the answer is that I wrote a little one-shot about Amy and Rory right after Angels Take Manhattan entitled Together Or Not At All, so if you want to go have a look at that that would be fantastic. Good to see you all again, and allons-y!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	2. Professor River Song

"I'm sorry… _what?"_ Elizabeth asked, stunned. "Not human? Don't be absurd. Of course I'm human."

The mysterious woman - River Song - raised one thin eyebrow. "And I heard you were an open-minded one." She strode over to the wreckage of her pod, leaving Elizabeth gasping.

"But why- How could you possibly say that?"

"Sontaran ship," she said, slapping the hull. "I stole it." There was no remorse in her tone whatsoever. "Sontarans are warriors," River explained. "It's all about glory. But they're not stupid. If a ship goes down, it automatically targets the nearest Sontaran to repair it."

"Okay," Elizabeth said slowly. "So why here?"

"Good question." River eyed her closely. "You're definitely not Sontaran."

"So maybe it just malfunctioned?" Elizabeth suggested. "You did crash, after all."

"Yes… maybe." The archaeologist did not look convinced. "Except the software in that craft is specifically designed to handle a crash situation."

"Why did you crash in the first place?"

River's face twisted. "I hit a star," she admitted. Elizabeth burst out laughing.

"Hit a star? Maybe next time you steal a ship make sure you can fly it," she suggested, giggling. River scowled.

"I can fly anything," she informed her. "That star just… appeared."

"Yes, a tree did that to a friend of mine once," Elizabeth smirked. "Did some real damage to her car, although nothing like that." River tossed her head, hair flying.

"Not like that," she said, sniffing. "I mean it. One moment, I was flying through a cloud of stardust, and the next…" She shrugged. "Everything was on fire. A star was literally born while I was in it."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "That shouldn't happen. Not that fast."

"I know." River looked up at the cloudy sky. "And it's happening everywhere. It was all I could do to get down here at all. All over the galaxy, stars are popping up where they shouldn't, when they shouldn't."

"But I've been tracking!" Elizabeth protested. "Our satellites, and over in America, we keep track of star development. There shouldn't be any near enough to do you any harm."

" _You've_ been tracking?" River Song asked. "What've you got to do with anything?"

Elizabeth flushed. "I work for the Royal Aeronautical Society," she explained. "Astrophysics. That's what I'm here for, actually," she said, jerking her head towards the camp behind her. "Studying for the Ph.d, you know. Proving Einstein's relativity with the eclipse. Well, reproving, anyway. But what with these clouds, well-"

"They're not clouds," River interrupted. Elizabeth blinked in surprise.

"Okay. So what are they?"

"It's the atmosphere," replied River simply. "Haven't you noticed? Earth is specially equipped in so many ways to handle crises of all sorts; why should this be any different?"

"This? Which 'this' do you mean?"

River sighed, frustrated. "The stars," she explained, rather impatiently. "All of them, heating up and piling up on each other. Hadn't you wondered why it's so light, and so warm? Imagine what would happen if every star that was ever going to be born came to be all at the same time."

"It'd be chaos," the young scientist breathed. "Interstellar chaos. Planets would be destroyed, all over the universe. All those peoples, lost forever." _And I'd never get to see them._

"It is chaos," River corrected her. "And it's only just beginning. Just look. You're atmosphere is thickening," she said, staring up at the sky, "trying to create a protective barrier for you, trying to block out the heat that's going to kill you all very very soon." She smirked. "Sort of puts your Ph.d in perspective, doesn't it?"

"I suppose it does," Elizabeth muttered, going rather pale. "Although I don't think I was going to manage it anyway."

"If it's any comfort to you, Einstein was perfectly correct," River told her. "Well for this galaxy, anyway."

"This galaxy," Elizabeth repeated. "You mean gravity is different for others?"

"Of course," chuckled River. "You want your degree? Help me fix this and I'll get you all the data you need to be the next Einstein."

"Alright then. Good. Wonderful." Elizabeth nodded several times, doubtful, but willing to humor this odd woman. "Of course, the rest of the world will never believe it."

"That's your problem," River said, turning away and sticking her head into the pod. Elizabeth got the uncomfortable feeling she had been dismissed, but she certainly wasn't ready to go. At last, proof of life in space had fallen practically at her feet, and she'd be damned if she was going to let this slip away.

"So you stole a spaceship," she ventured. "Any particular reason?"

"I needed a ride," the strange spacewoman said, pulling out of the pod and straightening up with a grunt, "and they wouldn't let me use it. So I took it. It's a common trait of psychopaths. Oh, didn't I say?" she said innocently, with a wicked glint in her eyes.

"Er, no," said Elizabeth, not overly alarmed. "Must've left it out of the introduction."

"Silly me." Professor River Song turned to face the shorter woman, looking her square in the eye. "What else might I have missed?" she asked, pretending to think. "Oh, I know. I spent several years in prison for the murder of my husband. I spent most of my childhood learning to be an assassin, and let me tell you, I'm _very_ good. There's only one person in the universe that I answer to, and you are not him." River propped her hands on her ample hips. "Any more questions?"

"You're not in prison now," the scientist observed. "I assume you escaped?"

"Of course. You catch on quick," said River, eyeing her approvingly and giving her a small smile. "In fact, you're taking all of this remarkably calmly for a human."

"You say that like you aren't one," Elizabeth noted, raising an eyebrow.

"Did I ever say I was?" Elizabeth wasn't sure how to answer that.

A silence fell, each woman studying the other intently. Elizabeth wasn't quite sure what to make of this mysterious woman who had fallen out of the sky, so sure of what she knew, so very confident. How, she wondered, did someone get so extraordinary? To be out soaring among the stars, knowing so much about them… First-hand experience was almost impossible to get in her field, and to travel this way would be beyond a dream come true.

"Of course, I'm not sure you are either," River said suddenly, startling Elizabeth out of her reverie. She scrambled a moment, trying to remember what they had been discussing. "Something's odd about you," River continued, and then Elizabeth had it. "Something different. You've definitely been in space."

 _In space._ The words resonated in her mind, filled with promise. "Don't be absurd," she said with a small laugh. "Of course I haven't."

River eyed her, disbelieving. "You're certain of that?"

"Yes, of course I'm-" Elizabeth stopped. Her dreams, of the flying box and the wonderful time traveler inside it… could they be real?

 _You're being ridiculous,_ she told herself firmly. _How could they be? You had a perfectly average childhood, with nothing extraordinary at all. Absolutely nothing worth notice._

But something was nagging at her, something she'd kept in the back of her mind for years on end. How did such a perfectly average child come to be one of the brightest astronomical minds of the century? Every study she'd ever read suggested that a life like the one she'd led should in no case make her anything other than an ordinary adult. But this was clearly not the case.

Not to mention, she had no real reason to be interested in space at all. There was nothing in her mundane childhood to spark this passion that had driven her to the lengths she'd achieved. Surely there had to be a reason for this calling she felt so strongly.

Even more, she sometimes wondered about this childhood. It was almost too ordinary, too typical. And some details were missing. For example, why did she have no photos of herself as a child? Surely even a children's home would have some photographic record of all of its children. She'd looked into it once, and they claimed the photos had been lost. Suddenly, this seemed terribly suspicious.

Once, in a fit of self-pitying curiosity, she'd found her way to an online chat group for conspiracy theorists. She'd read countless accounts of people certain their lives had been erased by aliens or the government, for countless purposes. Sometimes after a long day at work, she thought back to that, and couldn't help but wonder.

Slowly, Elizabeth realized she had been silent for rather a long time. She looked up at River, who was watching her intently. "Sorry," she said awkwardly. "I just-"

"You realized maybe something wasn't quite right after all," River finished for her. "I quite agree. You've got a way of carrying yourself, something in your eyes that says you've seen wonders."

"But I have," Elizabeth countered. "I see wonders every day. My job is with the stars." She wondered for a brief moment why she was arguing, when she wanted it so badly to be true.

But River was shaking her head. "More than that," she told the younger woman. "There's something different in living it first-hand. You've got it."

"I've got it," she whispered to herself. So she had been in space after all? She felt like a child who woke up in fairyland - like all her impossible dreams had suddenly been made reality.

"Not to mention," River said briskly, bending over the pod again, "the pod chose to come to you, which certainly suggests you've got at least a bit of Sontaran for you. Clearly not much," she said critically, "or you'd look like a talking potato."

"Thanks for that," Elizabeth replied with a hint of a smile.

As they spoke, they suddenly heard an engine approaching. River's head snapped up, staring about her, looking for whatever approached. "Come on," she whispered, creeping towards the source of the sound.

Soon they heard wheels crunching through undergrowth. Ducking through the trees, the two women spotted a sleek black SUV, with _Torchwood_ written on the side in silver letters.

"How on Earth did they get up here?" Elizabeth whispered. "Who are they?"

"This is Torchwood," answered River quietly. "Outside the government, beyond the police. Tracking down alien life on Earth, arming the human race against the future." She turned to look at Elizabeth, grinning. "And I strongly suspect they're going to be my ticket out of here."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, my dears! Sorry it's been so long, Thanksgiving makes me terribly lazy. Nevertheless, I return, with another longer chapter for you. Torchwood! Yay! Love me some Torchwood. Also I do hope I'm doing River Song properly; she's so terribly enigmatic it's difficult. Ah well. I expect once we bring the Doctor in things will be better. As ever, can't promise when the next will be up, although I suspect the gap will be shorter this time. However, I could get hit by a bus or something so I make no promises.**

 **I would like to say a bit about Elizabeth's research she's doing. There's a movie called Einstein and Eddington that costars David Tennant, which is largely why I watched it, that basically lays out Einstein's development of general relativity and it's subsequent proof by Eddington, a super underrated Quaker possibly gay English guy. It's an excellent movie, check it out. However, this all happened in I believe the 1920s or something, so the proof isn't great, which is why I decided to give an updated mission to Elizabeth. Plus, this year marks the centennial of Einstein's discovery (which I guess would mean he discovered it in 1915...whatever) so that was an excellent coincidence. Please note I know very little about astrology or astrophysics, so if you see something I've got wrong don't hesitate to let me know.**

 **Thank you all, dears, and stay tuned! Geronimo!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	3. Torchwood To The Rescue

The SUV came to a stop, mere meters away from where Elizabeth and River were standing. The doors slid open and five people got out, three men and two women. One of these men, who was wearing a long black coat and suspenders, strode right over to the pair and stuck out a hand.

"Captain Jack Harkness," he said with an easy grin. His accent, Elizabeth was interested to note, was American. She also couldn't help but note that he was incredibly attractive. "And you are?"

River raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Torchwood," she said calmly, ignoring his outstretched hand. "What brings you here?"

"All business, huh? Alright then." The captain stuck his hand deep in his pockets and turned to Elizabeth. "And who're you when you're at home?"

"Elizabeth Lancaster," she replied, trying not to blush.

"Elizabeth," Jack repeated, half-smiling. "Cute name. Very classical English." He winked.

"Perhaps not the moment," River told him disinterestedly. "She's engaged."

"Engaged, is she?" He sighed and winked. "That's no fun." Before Elizabeth could even begin to process this, Jack had already moved on. "I suppose you ought to meet the rest of the team," he said, beckoning them forward.

"We'd be delighted," River said dryly. Elizabeth was getting the feeling the older woman wasn't too fond of this Torchwood. Captain Harkness seemed to realize this as well.

"Right, we'll make it quick. This is Owen Harper," a young man in a T-shirt raised a hand and grinned, "Gwen Cooper," a dark haired woman smiled, "Ianto Jones," a clean-cut man nodded politely, "and Toshiko Sato."

"Please, call me Tosh," said the small Asian woman, smiling at them.

"Pleased to meet you," Elizabeth said cautiously. "Er… Tell me again what it is you do?"

"We're here about that pod that crashed," Jack told her. "Speaking of which," he added to his team, "get the equipment set up. We've got to contain this thing and get it away before some media something gets to it." They nodded and scattered, some to the SUV, some off towards the wreckage. "I assume you two know something about it?" he asked the two women before him.

"Oh, I might," River said with a glint in her eyes. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"So it's yours, then."

"Well now, I didn't say that." She was positively mischievous now. "How did you get here so quickly?" she added. "It crashed only moments ago. Aren't you based out of Cardiff?"

"We got a little advance warning," said Jack easily. "A message sent in on a line that should have been blocked off. Nobody but Tosh could have hacked into it."

"Is that a challenge, Captain?" River asked with a small grin.

"Well then. Smart and good-looking." He eyed her appraisingly, smiling slightly. "I sure hope you stick around."

"Leave it, I'm married," she replied, tossing her massive head of hair.

"I didn't mean what do you do here," Elizabeth jumped in quickly, trying to diffuse whatever was building, "I meant what do you do at all? What is Torchwood?"

"We're basically Earth's main line of defense against alien threats," Jack explained. "Just in case the Doctor doesn't show up. I'm guessing you know about the Doctor?" he said to River, who nodded. "You do seem like to type."

"Oh, do I know that man. We go way back, that man and me," she said with a fond smile. "I expect she doesn't, though," River added, nodding towards Elizabeth.

"Wait." Elizabeth finally found her voice. "The Doctor. Has he… Has he got a time machine? Shaped like a blue police box?"

River and Jack shared a look. "He has, yes," River said cautiously.

"And he wears a bow tie?" Elizabeth continued, building up steam. "And he's got sort of long hair and a rather big chin?"

"Does he?" Jack asked, mildly surprised. "Must have another face since I saw him last."

"How do you know all of this?" River asked. Elizabeth was shrank at the intensity in her voice. "You told me you'd never been off of Earth."

"I haven't!" she answered quickly, holding up her hands. "I've just been having these dreams, that's all. Him and me and another woman, traveling through space."

"You've been dreaming about the Doctor," River repeated, clearly puzzled.

"She's not the only one," Jack murmured, but he fell silent under her glare.

"You're certain no one's ever mentioned the Doctor to you before?" River asked. Elizabeth wondered for a moment if this was what interrogation felt like.

"No," she said quickly, then amended her statement. "Well, not that I remember."

"Not that you remember…" River trailed off, deep in thought. The other two were silent, not willing to break her concentration. At last, she turned to Jack. "Captain Harkness, you've got some special equipment in your car, haven't you? Something out of the ordinary? Go and get it for me please."

Jack stared. "How could you possibly know that?"

"You got a message, didn't you?" she said, her eyes sparking. "I'm guessing coordinates, a time and date, and a request for some sort of technology."

"This is confidential information," he began, raising a hand, but River spoke right over him.

"And this message. One only your computer genius could have sent? I think there's one other person who could do it, don't you?"

"Are you saying the Doctor sent that message?"

"Not at all," she said with a wink.

"Then who?" Jack demanded, frustrated. "He's the only other person in the universe with a chance against our Tosh."

River smiled her most enigmatic smile. "Spoilers."

"Spoilers?" Elizabeth could see Jack getting more and more frustrated. "I don't do spoilers, lady. Who are you, anyway?"

"Professor River Song, archaeologist," she said formally, still smiling. Jack stared blankly.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

River sighed. "And these are the defenders of the Earth," she said to Elizabeth, rolling her eyes. Then she stepped forward and whispered something in the captain's ear.

Elizabeth watched with interest as his face turned ghost white. He stepped back, eyes wide as saucers, and snapped off a salute. "It's an honor, ma'am. I'll fetch your equipment right away, ma'am." He turned and strode over to the SUV.

River was looking terribly pleased with herself. Elizabeth was incredibly curious as to what she might have said - the captain didn't seem easily frightened - and she looked at the older woman with awe.

After a pause, Elizabeth asked, "What sort of technology is he getting?" She was imagining all sorts of futuristic machines, covered in lights and buttons, with any number of purposes. But River only shrugged.

"I've no idea," she said lightly. Elizabeth stared. "Could be anything. But I expect that whatever it is, it'll sort out whatever's wrong with you."

"But how can you know that there is something if you've no idea what it is?" Elizabeth asked in disbelief. River smiled that same smile.

"Spoilers," she said again.

Elizabeth got the feeling she would soon come to hate that word.

Just then, Jack hurried back, carrying a small, plain wooden box. "We haven't had a reason to use this in years," he said, panting slightly. "I almost couldn't find it, but I think it should do the trick."

He opened the box to reveal a small purple crystal, smoothly polished into a perfect sphere and nestled safely in soft red velvet. It was pretty, Elizabeth admitted, but largely unremarkable. She looked up at the captain, certain he was leading her on, but he seemed totally sincere and more than a little excited.

"Alright, I'll bite," she said with a sigh. "What is it?"

Jack smiled proudly. "This little beauty turned up in some old guy's rock collection. Nobody knew it was anything special until we got a look at it. We did some testing, and it turns out to be a restoration crystal, we think from the planet Krontep."

"A restoration crystal," River repeated. "And that means what exactly?"

"Basically what it sounds like," Jack explained. "It restores you. All you do is touch it, and you're instantly in perfect shape, mind and body. And," he added with a nod to Elizabeth, "it's excellent for bringing back lost memories."

"Lost memories?" Elizabeth asked, looking from River to Jack and back again. "Is that what you think is wrong with me?"

"Well, that's what that message of yours said, wasn't' it?" Jack asked with a grin, pleased to at last know something the archaeologist didn't. "Bring anything you've got that can deal with memory loss. So that's what I did."

"Memory loss," River breathed. "Of course. If she had traveled with him and something went wrong… It's happened before," she said to Jack, who nodded gravely.

"I know," he said, his voice heavy. "I remember, even if she doesn't."

"I'm sorry, what?" Elizabeth asked, perplexed and alarmed. "Does this happen a lot, people who travel with him forget everything?"

"I'm sure it was an entirely different circumstance," River assured her. "What happened to her was unique. What happened to you, well," she glanced at the crystal. "I'm as curious as you are."

"You sure you want to try it?" Jack asked, looking at her with real concern in his eyes. "Because I'll tell you, it does have some nasty side effects. Nothing life-threatening, of course," he added at the worried look in her eyes. "Just… unpleasant."

Elizabeth looked at Jack, then at the crystal. It shone so innocently in its velvet nest, it was hard for her to believe there was any power about it at all. But neither Jack nor River really seemed the type to joke, at least about something this big. She swallowed hard and nodded.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from trembling. If it was true, all of her dreams, it would be… well, it would be a dream come true. Not to mention finding out the truth about herself… How could she possibly resist? Surely an unfamiliar identity was better than a false one?

"Just one touch will do it," Jack told her. "That's all. But be careful, alright? Don't try to grasp it all at once. I'm told the effects are disorienting."

She nodded again and reached out a hand. Lightly, she lay one finger on the purple crystal, every muscle in her body taut as a wire.

Nothing happened.

She looked at Jack, bemused. "Is something-" she began, and then her brain exploded. Lights and pictures flashed back and forth, memories connecting like bolts of lightning in her mind. Years worth of conversations sounded on top of each other, somehow still clear. She tried to focus on a single image, but everything was flying too fast to see.

"Elizabeth," someone was saying. She heard it only dimly, over the rush of sound, and was far too busy to acknowledge it. _Just leave me alone!_ she cried, totally unsure if she was speaking aloud. _I just want to understand._

"Elizabeth," the voice came again, more insistent, and she felt someone shaking her shoulders, probably Jack. She pulled away, curling up in a ball and clutching her head.

"Just leave her," River said. "Let her process it." She said a silent prayer of thanks to this wonderful woman for understanding. She needed space, and needed it now.

At long last, the wave of memories began to settle and she felt herself return to normal - or at least more normal. River bent over her, concern written all over her face.

"Jack, she's awake," she called. Then she looked at the young woman before her. "Elizabeth, are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Carefully, she nodded, then tried to get to her feet. The ground, however, had other ideas, rolling under her feet. River caught her under the arms, laying her gently on the forest floor.

Jack came running over, kneeling in the dirt beside her. "How's she doing?" he asked River, who shrugged.

"As well as can be expected, I would say."

Jack nodded. "Owen, Gwen!" he called. "See what we've got for medicines, then get over here." He turned back to his patient, waving a hand in front of her eyes. "Elizabeth? How're you doing?"

She smiled up at him. "Please," she said, her voice little more than a croak, "call me Mystery."

Then, without another word, she leaned over and vomited into a bush.

* * *

 **A.N: Such chapter, much long, wow. Yay. Torchwood! And she's got her memories back! I had to be so careful with that in the sequel, not to give it away. Such struggles. But anyway. Captain Jack is an absolute joy to write. I was about two lines in and already having a blast, so it's a pity he hasn't got a larger part... Perhaps I'll have to write something else with him in it later. I don't know. We'll just have to see.**

 **Also, River and Jack meet, which is exciting. Steven Moffat wrote something on Twitter, I believe, that basically outlined their meeting. I think it said something like "He'd say who are you, she'd whisper in his ear, he'd go white and salute." May not be the exact wording, but you get the gist. I was looking forward to that the entire chapter.**

 **I suppose I should state at some point that everything you see here that you recognize (and probably some stuff you don't) is either something belonging to the Whoniverse or the world as we know it. I claim nothing familiar as my own work, only the storylines are my own. And Mystery, of course.**

 **Thank you again, you lovely individuals. If you haven't picked it up, I utterly adore hearing from my readers, so please please please feel free to message or review (preferably review, as I get a ton of messages anymore). Also, I'm not sure what happened exactly, but I've been getting an insane amount of views both to Mystery Girl and my profile, which is rather unusual for me. If anyone can explain what changed, that would be lovely. And if it's just coincidence and I'm suddenly terribly popular, that's perfectly fine with me. Either way, I thank you. You all have been wonderfully kind to me.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	4. Mystery Remembers

Some time later, Mystery woke with a start. Her head was pounding, and her mind hurt even more. The taste in her mouth was unpleasant, to say the least. But despite that, she felt incredibly happy. It took her a moment to remember why.

 _I know who I am!_ she thought with a grin. _Those planets, my adventures with the Doctor, it's all real!_ Perhaps not everything had been good, but she was pleased to know what she did.

Not only that, but she remembered everything, even the things she'd lost before. Her childhood, growing up in the TARDIS and various other spots, sometimes with Clara, sometimes with the Doctor… Mystery took a moment to savor the memories, things she hadn't remembered in many many years.

She felt a cool hand on her forehead and forced her eyes open. A dark-haired woman leaned over her. _Gwen,_ Mystery thought, _Gwen Cooper from Torchwood._ She thrilled a moment at being able to know exactly who Torchwood was.

"There now," Gwen said, her accent decidedly Welsh. "Feeling better, are we?"

"How-" Mystery cleared her throat and tried again. "How long was I asleep?"

"Only about half an hour," Gwen told her reassuringly. "Owen and I brought you back here, just til you recovered." Mystery looked around and found herself lying in the backseat of what she assumed was the Torchwood SUV.

"Thanks," she said, trying to sit up. Gwen was instantly there, supporting her until she was steady.

"Take your time," she cautioned Mystery. "Jack did say the aftereffects would be nasty. Give yourself some time to recover, alright?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Mystery replied, ignoring her pounding head. "I'm fine."

Gwen eyed her dubiously, then sighed. "I'm not one to hold you back," she said with a smile. "God knows I hate having it done to me." Carefully, she helped Mystery out of the SUV, Mystery's arm draped over her shoulder, and led her over towards the crashed pod.

River and Jack were bent over a pile of machinery, clearly working on something. Tosh stood behind them, offering suggestions. Owen and Ianto were surrounding the pod in tape, preparing to move it out. Gwen brought Mystery over and settled her on the ground next to River, then moved off to help the others.

"We've got to amplify the signal, it's the only way-" River broke off when she noticed Mystery. "Ah. With us once more, are you?"

"Yeah, I'm - I'm fine," Mystery replied, but she was a bit distracted. "Did you…" She looked closer at the tangle of wires at her feet. "Is that my equipment?"

"We stole it from that tent," River said with a shrug. "Hope you don't mind."

"I was going to say 'repossessed'," Jack said, frowning at her. "It sounds kinder, at least. Ethical."

"Ethical? Don't try to color the truth," replied River, tossing her hair. "It's ever so dull."

"Okay, okay fine," Jack laughed, raising his hands in defeat. "You win. We stole it." He turned to Mystery, grinning. "Glad to see you back up on your feet," he said. "Memories all back in order?"

"Mostly," Mystery answered, rubbing her head. "It's still a bit jumbled in places."

"That'll come with time," he assured her. She smiled in thanks.

"What is all this for, anyway?" she asked, gesturing towards the pile of equipment at her feet.

"We're calling the Doctor, of course," Jack said. "We figured he might be happy to see you. I wouldn't mind seeing him again either," he added with a grin. "Besides, the professor here told me all about your little star problem. We're thinking he might be able to do something about it."

"Or he might have something to do with it," River added tersely. Mystery glanced at her in surprise.

"You think he's involved?" she asked.

River glanced at her, then pushed back her hair. "One way or another, he's part of this," she said, her eyes burning. "Look hard enough and all the trouble in the universe can be traced back to the doors of his TARDIS."

"How nice of you to say so," Jack commented, grinning. "Not terribly innacurate, though," he added at River's stare.

There was a pause as River worked, then Jack looked at Mystery. "If you're feeling better," he asked, almost hesitantly, "I'm sure we'd all love to hear what you've remembered."

Mystery laughed. "It's a long story," she warned. Jack shrugged.

"We've got time," he replied, waving over the rest of his crew. "The sun won't be up for hours yet."

"Alright, I'll do what I can." She shifted into a more comfortable position, waiting for the rest of Torchwood to settle themselves in. "I suppose you could say it started when I appeared in the middle of the TARDIS with no idea where I was…"

As she explained the events that had befallen her over the first several years of her life, she watched with amusement as her audience grew more and more astonished. River and Jack were less impressed, but this was likely because of the wildness of their own stories, stories Mystery found she knew only bits of.

"...and so I've been living here ever since," she concluded, her voice a bit hoarse. Ianto offered her a flask of water and she took it gratefully.

"Mystery," Jack said softly. Then he grinned. "Well, I can't say it doesn't suit you."

Owen laughed. "And you ended up working on the Mars colonization project?" he asked. "Bet this gives you a new perspective on it." Gwen elbowed him.

"So this crystal overcame three total mind wipes and restored you your entire memory bank?" Tosh asked in wonder.

"As far as I know," Mystery answered with a shrug. "I don't suppose I'll ever know if I really got everything back."

"I suppose that's true," Tosh sighed. She glanced at Ianto. "We've got to do some more tests on that thing." The pair of them got to their feet and headed for the SUV.

Jack stretched and leaned back. "They've got the right idea," he said with a grin. "Storytime's over, kids. Time to get back to work." Gwen and Owen glanced at each other, then hurried back to the crashed pod.

Jack turned to River. "How close are we to connection?"

"Very," she replied, twisting two wires together. "All the preliminaries are in place. All we need…" She looked right at Mystery, "is a phone."

Mystery stared. "A phone," she repeated. "Just a regular old phone?" She pulled her smartphone out of her pocket, where she had stashed it earlier that day. "Will this do?"

"Perfectly," River said, reaching for it. But Mystery held back.

"Will I get it back?" she asked.

"Of course," River replied instantly, but still Mystery hesitated.

"In one piece?"

"Well…" River blew the hair out of her face and settled back on her heels. "Listen. You want to see the Doctor again, don't you? Is a phone so much to ask?"

Mystery sighed and handed it over. "Just be careful with it."

"What year is it?" River asked abruptly.

"2007?" Mystery replied. "Does it matter?"

"It explains a lot," River muttered, taking the phone and wiring it in. Jack had to stifle a grin.

"What do you need it for, anyway?" Mystery asked, trying and failing to follow what was going on.

"We need a phone to initiate contact," Jack explained. "Earth signals, Earth phone. It's the only way to get through. I'm guessing you know the number?" he asked River.

"Of course." She punched in a string of numbers and they soon heard a dial tone. Moments later, the other end picked up.

"Yes, hello, who is it?" Mystery couldn't stop herself from beaming at the familiar voice. "Is this about the fez I wanted? I've been waiting, you know."

River smiled and shook her head. "Better than that," she said into the phone. "Hello, sweetie."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello all! I'm back again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. I know not a whole lot actually happened, but now that we're bringing in the Doctor, things should liven up. I'm debating whether or not to keep Jack in, because that wasn't in my original plan, but I'm enjoying him so much, I just don't know. Perhaps you all care to weigh in?**

 **Also! SPOILERS FOR HELL BENT LOOK AWAY NOW THIS MEANS YOU! Funnily enough, I had considered exactly that ending for Mystery Girl, with the Doctor forgetting the companion. I planned for a long time to have the Doctor and Clara be affected by the memory gas and have Mystery be perfectly fine and in the end decided against it because that would make a sequel far more complicated and I liked my other solution. It just could hardly believe it when that played out with Clara. How funny would it have been if that's what I had done?**

 **Mystery Girl is still getting an insane amount of views (like more than a hundred every day, which is bonkers) so thank you all for that. Welcome, too, to my new readers, for I see we have quite a few recent additions. I'm glad you're along for the ride. As ever, I'd love to hear what you thought (plus your opinions on Jack's future in this story) so please leave a review!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	5. The Doctor Wants to See You

"River." Mystery could almost hear the smile in the Doctor's voice. "How nice of you to call. I don't suppose there's any chance you'd bring me a fez."

"Not on your life." River shook her head, smiling slightly. "I need a favor," she said. The Doctor sighed.

"It's never just a social call with you, is it?" he asked. "Where are you calling from? I'll pick you up."

"What, haven't you tracked it yet?" River asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm disappointed."

"Of course I did," he replied. "Just giving you a chance to say it."

Mystery glanced over at Jack and saw he had stuffed a fist in his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"Hold on," he added, and they heard a clicking of keys. "Has that phone got video chat?"

River looked up at Mystery, who nodded. "Yes," the older woman said into the phone. "Does it matter? You know what I look like, you don't need to see me." But Mystery noticed she was already fixing her hair.

"Of course I don't need to see you," the Doctor replied. "I never _need_ to see you. But I always _want_ to see you."

River blushed slightly, astonishing Mystery - she hadn't thought the professor _could_ blush. "Oh stop it."

"Make me."

She smirked. "Maybe I will."

Mystery looked at Jack and made gagging motions. He grinned and rolled his eyes.

Just then, the Doctor appeared on the screen, beaming and waving. "Hello, hello!" he exclaimed. "So let's see. Based on the atmosphere and the little I can see of what's behind you, I'm guessing you're on Earth? Somewhere high, I'd say. Although…" He peered at the screen. "There certainly is something strange about those clouds."

"Swiss Alps," River told him. "I'm sending you the coordinates now."

"Excellent." They saw him leave the screen and push some buttons. "You might as well hang up now, the connection isn't going to last while I'm in flight."

River smiled. "See you soon, sweetie."

"Yes, you will." The Doctor placed his hand on a lever, then turned back. "Oh, and one more thing." He grinned. "Stand back." Then he pulled the lever and the screen went black.

River was on her feet instantly. "Get back, all of you," she ordered, grabbing the machine and pulling it away. Jack went to help her, and the two hauled the bulky equipment safely out of the way.

Just in time, too. Mystery watched with a thrill of anticipation as a blue police box pulsed into view, right where they'd been standing. The familiar _vworp vworp_ sent chills down her spine. Jack glanced over, grinning.

"I know," he said quietly, for her ears only. "It gets me too. Sort of a shiver."

"Exactly," Mystery whispered, grinning back. River stood in front of them, directly before the door, waiting for it to solidify. When at last the TARDIS had fully landed, one door swung open, and a familiar face poked out.

"Hi, honey," the Doctor said with a half-smile. "I'm home."

River glanced at her wrist. "And what sort of time do you call this?" she demanded. Mystery was interested to see she wasn't wearing a watch.

"Good to see things haven't changed," he replied, pulling her in for a quick kiss. "And you've brought some friends?" His eyes fell on Jack next. "Captain Harkness!" he exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "Long time no see, eh?"

"Longer for you than for me, I bet," Jack said, giving the Doctor a hug and pounding him on the back. "New body." He looked him up and down. "I kinda like it."

"You always do," the Doctor beamed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Brought the whole team along, did you? Yes, hello!" he called waving over at the pod. Gwen waved back, a bemused grin on her face. Tosh and Ianto traded glances, and Owen didn't even look up.

"Now then," the Doctor said, turning back. "You say you've-" He stopped short as he caught sight of the final member of the group. Slowly, a smile spread across his face. "You know, I had a feeling I'd run into you again," he said softly.

Mystery beamed. "Hello, Doctor."

"Got all your memories back, then?" he asked, rubbing his hands together.

"I think so," she told him. "It's still a bit of a mess. But I've got everything, Doctor. Even from when I was child, growing up in your TARDIS." She looked around. "Where am I, by the way?"

"Oh, you're with Clara," the Doctor said brightly. "At the Maitlands. We're posing you as a young cousin of hers, who's staying with her for a few weeks. Might turn into months, we'll see. You're about five years old now, I'd say," he added. "Completely adorable, too. Already learning to fly the TARDIS." He smiled fondly. "How long has it been for you?"

"Two years," she replied. He nodded slowly. "It hasn't been so bad," she continued quickly at his expression. "I didn't really remember you, you know. I went to college on a fast track, got a degree. Astrophysics." He chuckled.

"Why am I not surprised?"

She smiled. "That's why we're here," Mystery explained. "Had a campsite set up just back there." She pointed back towards their camp. "Studying so I can get my Ph.d."

"We?" the Doctor asked, puzzled.

"Oh, of course. I also got engaged." Mystery held up her left hand, which was sporting a twinkling diamond ring.

The Doctor blinked, taken aback. "Oh. Oh, that's… Congratulations, I-"

River stepped up behind him, taking his hand. "He doesn't like endings," she explained, eyeing her husband. "And getting married, well… It changes people." She winked. "Or so I'm told."

"It absolutely does," Jack put in. "I've seen it time and time again. You get different friends, different interests."

"Oh." Mystery quickly put her hands behind her back. "Oh, no, Doctor, I didn't… I mean, I will always come traveling with you. No matter what happens. That is, if you want," she added quickly. "Nothing has to change just because I'm getting married."

"That's what they all say," Jack muttered. River glared at him.

"What's his name?" the Doctor asked, rather awkwardly. "Maybe we could bring him along…?"

"His name is Evin," Mystery replied, just as awkwardly. "Evin Brooks. And… I'm not sure that'd be such a good idea. He doesn't…" She sighed. "I don't think this would be his sort of thing." Very carefully, her hands still hidden behind her back, she slipped off her engagement ring and tucked it into her pocket.

There was a lengthy pause, where no one seemed to know what to do with themselves. Finally the Doctor spoke up.

"So what are you two doing here, anyway?" he asked Jack and River. "This is a bit much just to be coincidence."

"Torchwood got a call with the coordinates for this place, I assumed from you," Jack explained. "When we got here, we found her."

"A message from me? Hmm. I didn't send any message." He thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Not yet, anyway. I assume that's yours?" he added with a glance at River, pointing towards the crashed pod in the distance. River nodded. "Not like you to crash anything," he said with a smirk.

River elbowed him. "Something's the matter with the stars," she explained. "There's too many, too fast." Quickly, she brought him up to speed on what they had discovered. "That's when we called you," she finished. Her stare was a suspicious one. "So what did you do?"

"Nothing!" he protested. "I didn't even notice it. I came from two million years ago, so I must have made it through the atmosphere before whatever it was happened." It's nothing to do with me."

"Somehow I doubt that," River muttered. "Either way, I'm going to take a closer look." She walked over to the TARDIS and stepped in, glancing back at the Doctor. "Coming?"

"Always," he replied with a flirtatious grin. He spun around to Jack, clapping his hands together. "How about you, Captain Harkness?" he asked. "Up for one more adventure, for old time's sake?"

Jack glanced back at his team, then grinned. "I think I could be persuaded," he said easily. The Doctor grinned and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good choice. Mystery?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said with a smile.

"Excellent!" The Doctor flung open both doors of the TARDIS and ushered them in. "Here we go," he said as they all piled in. "Look at that. Team TARDIS, taking on the stars." Then he frowned. "No, forget that title, it's a rubbish title."

Mystery was thrilled to be back in the TARDIS. She ran her hands along the metal railing, reliving the many adventures she'd had. The Doctor dashed to the console, fiddling with the buttons.

"Everyone ready?" he called. Without waiting for an answer, he pulled a lever. The TARDIS engines churned into motion, taking the four of them off among the stars.

* * *

 **A.N: And off we go! I did at last decide to keep Jack in, by popular vote. I looked over my outline and there's no real reason he can't be in it, so I said why not. I'm very excited for what's ahead (like always) and I hope you are too! I really haven't got a whole lot to say today, which usually means I've forgotten something... I guess we'll see. Anyway, I've been enjoying your reviews tremendously, so thank you all very very much. Literally getting an email lights up my day on the off chance that it might be from this, and that is a beautiful thing. I couldn't appreciate you ever enough.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	6. Team TARDIS

The TARDIS engines were churning away, taking them higher and higher up into space. The Doctor was at the controls, happily fiddling with buttons. River, however, quickly joined him.

"You will insist on making it difficult," she said dryly, flipping a series of switches Mystery recognized as the stabilizers. "What do you have against a smooth ride?"

"It's boring!" he protested. "Where's the fun in a ride like that, eh? Then it's just like a bus, or a cab or something. It's not exciting!"

"Does it have to be?" Mystery asked.

"Yes!" replied the Doctor and Jack in unison. Jack grinned. "God, I missed this," he said, stepping up to the console. "I still remember how to fly it, I think. As much as I learned, anyway," he added.

Mystery walked up to the console as well. Nearly everything was familiar, she was delighted to see. "When did you learn to fly the TARDIS?" she asked Jack.

He shrugged. "Here and there," he replied easily. "Hang around with him long enough, you're bound to pick something up. And you?"

She laughed. "Basically the same."

"And me as well," River added. The Doctor giggled a bit. "What?" River demanded.

"Oh, nothing much," he said, grinning. "It's just I've never had a more qualified group of people in this TARDIS. It's almost like..." He faltered for a moment. "It's almost like being back in the academy on Gallifrey."

"All that, and you still insist on flying her like a child," River muttered, flipping a switch. Instantly, the sound of the engines disappeared. The Doctor groaned.

Mystery and Jack both panicked. "What did you do?" Jack yelled. "You can't turn the engines off mid-flight!"

"But they're not off," Mystery replied in bewilderment, pulling over a screen. "We're still moving."

River shook her head, laughing. "It isn't supposed to make the noise," she explained. " _He_ just likes to leave the brakes on."

"Well, keep them on," Jack said firmly, reaching over and flipping that same switch. "It's just not right." In spite of herself, Mystery agreed.

"Do I not get a choice here?" the Doctor asked petulantly. River gave him an almost pitying look.

"You get her to yourself all the time," she replied, patting the console. "Learn to share." The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"So where are we actually going?" Mystery asked the Doctor, taking pity on him.

"We're going just outside the Earth's atmosphere," he answered, visibly brightening at being back in his typical place. "The best way to observe a star is up close and personal, wouldn't you say?" He smiled winningly at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"I'd be interested to see that myself," River added. Jack went to the door, then turned back.

"Good to look out?" he asked the Doctor, who nodded happily. Jack pulled the door open and stared outside.

Instantly, the entire console room was flooded in a blinding light. All four occupants were forced to shield their eyes.

"Shut it!" Mystery yelled. Jack slammed the door shut and leaned against the closed door.

"I suppose it only makes sense," he said, almost out of breath. "If there's a ton of extra stars in the sky…" He grinned. "It's gonna be really damn bright."

Mystery glanced at the Doctor. "I don't suppose there's something you can do for that, is there? Sonic sunglasses or something?"

"Sonic sunglasses? No. Not a bad idea though," he added with a considering grin.

River groaned. "Don't give him any ideas," she said warningly to Mystery. "His dress sense is bad enough as it is."

"Oi!" exclaimed the Doctor, offended. "That's really rude! Bow ties are cool."

"I don't know what you're complaining about, myself," Jack put in, raising an approving eyebrow. "Looks just fine to me." River rolled her eyes. Mystery was trying not to laugh.

"Well. I'm almost flattered," the Doctor said, tipping Jack a wink. "But to answer your question, Mystery, yes, there is something I can do." He pushed a few buttons on the console. "Try the door again, Captain."

Hesitantly this time, Jack cracked open the TARDIS door. When no blinding light poured in, he opened it all the way, revealing a breathtaking view of space so full of stars there was more light than dark. "Nice," he said approvingly, nodding. "Very nice."

"Thank you very much," the Doctor said with a cocky grin. "What do you think, River?"

River, Mystery could see, was doing her best not to look impressed. "What did you do?" she asked.

"Just thickened the force field," he answered triumphantly. "Sort of like tinted windows on a car, except it's energy, not glass. And it holds in oxygen. And it's no protection from someone seeing in. Or from wind, actually. So not like tinted windows at all." He frowned. "Forget I mentioned it."

River raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know it did that."

The Doctor grinned at her. "As if I'd tell you everything," he replied teasingly. "Then where would I be?"

Mystery laughed. Whatever it was, this new trick certainly did the job. She walked over and joined Jack at the door and stared out at the burning panorama of stars.

"There's so many," she said in wonderment, almost unable to believe her eyes. Then her scientific side kicked in. "This shouldn't be happening," she muttered. "There's too many, and much too close together to be occurring naturally."

The Doctor and River wandered over to look out as well, with their arms around each other. "Occurring naturally," River repeated. "So you're saying there's absolutely no way this is a freak phenomenon?"

"None at all," Mystery confirmed. "I studied stars, I'm still studying stars. This is my life's work. And I can say without a doubt that this should be almost impossible."

The Doctor grinned. "Oh, I'm loving the 'almost'." River elbowed him.

"I can say for certain these stars weren't there a week ago," Mystery added. Jack nodded.

"I can confirm that," he said. At Mystery's surprised glance, he chuckled. "What? You don't think Torchwood monitors the stars too? We monitor everything."

"So why didn't you do anything about these clouds then?" she asked, somewhat startled by the notion that Torchwood might not be so very different from what she did everyday. Jack only shrugged.

"We tried," he said, "but this thickening atmosphere's been interfering with our instruments. And we've been busy. We can't do everything," he said defensively at the looks of the other three. "We're operating on whatever tech we can find, you know, and not everything is in the greatest shape by the time we get it, alright?"

"See those two?" Mystery pointed, happy to change the subject. "They're far too close together to have been naturally born like that. In a normal situation, the two nebulas would have blended together to form one larger star." She smiled slightly. "Obviously that isn't the case."

"So something caused this," Jack said, clearly thinking out loud. "Something forced this to happen."

"Something or someone," River added, staring out at the offending stars. "And look," she said suddenly, pointing out as well. "There's planets." Sure enough, several of the stars had planets orbiting around them. Recognize any of them, Doctor?"

"That's Shallacatop," he said, pulling out his round wire spectacles and slipping them on. "That little green one there, with the lilac bits."

"Lilac?" Mystery asked, stifling a smirk. The Doctor ignored her.

"Home of the Aranifacies," he continued. "Lovely people, sort of blue. Spines all over their heads." He dropped his voice to a half-whisper. "One of them fancied me." Then he reconsidered. "Well, I say fancied. They won't exist yet for a few million years-" He stopped short, realizing what he'd said.

"What about the planet, Doctor?" Jack asked. "When is that born?"

"The same, really," he answered quietly. "Millions of years from now."

"And we didn't travel in time?" persisted Jack, just to make sure. The Doctor shook his head.

"Alright," Mystery said slowly, putting what they were all thinking into words. "If the planet doesn't exist for a million years… what is it doing outside the TARDIS doors right now?"

"Now just that," River added, looking past them at the planet in question. "How can one have fancied you if they all just burned?"

"What?" the other three chorused, staring out in alarm. Shallacatop had just collided with a nearby sun, burning up almost instantly.

"There were people on there," the Doctor said slowly, watching the smouldering remains of the planet being consumed. "A whole civilization, gone." His face darkened. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he muttered. "I've been there, I've met them. They don't die here, not now."

"Well, clearly they do," River said briskly, looking away.

"Honestly, I'm not terribly surprised," Mystery said heavily. "With so many new centers of gravity, it's a wonder any of them managed to stay in the sky at all. This isn't at all sustainable," she added. "Something was bound to blow."

"Okay," Jack said, shaking his head slightly. "So something's clearly up." He looked each of the others in the eye, one by one. "The question now is, what are we going to do about it?"

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, all! This is the first chapter I've written all in one day in a very long time, so hopefully the quality isn't affected... I really enjoyed this chapter a lot. It was just a blast to write. I'm really quite glad I kept Jack here, he's proving quite enjoyable. Team TARDIS, all flying it together. I was amused to find that I had unconsciously collected the three characters (plus Mystery) who are the most qualified to fly the TARDIS. So I just had to have a scene with that.**

 **Now is probably a good time to point out that I know basically nothing about astrophysics and I'm basically faking my way through all of this. I think it makes sense, but if there's some knowledgeable reader somewhere that would like to set me straight, please do. Your reviews do not have to be nice. If you've got some kind of constructive criticism to make, that's perfectly fine. I'm certainly open to it. Even if you think this story sucks, I'd still be interested to hear why.**

 **Also, finals week is next week, so I have no clue when the next chapter will be up. If you need something to do in the meantime, feel free to check out my other works. I've got one story with Ten and Donna that I'm really quite proud of but receives basically no attention. *cries* So yeah. If you've got spare time.**

 **I think that's all for now, so thank you again for reading, and for your lovely reviews!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	7. He's Being Himself

The four time travelers stared out the TARDIS door at the sky overflowing with stars, trying to think what to do next. With no leads, nowhere to start…it seemed almost impossible. But then again, Mystery reflected with a grin, this is the Doctor. He thrives on impossible.

"Alright then, Doctor," she said, turning to the Time Lord. "What's the plan?"

"Plan? What plan? What always makes people assume I've got a plan?" he asked irritably.

"Because you always do," River said, looking at him as well. "So what is it?"

"Well, I don't know, it's a mystery!" the Doctor exclaimed. Mystery giggled. "So I suppose we ought to look for clues."

"Oh, that's your advice?" River threw up her hands, disgusted. "Look for clues. Alright, Mr. Holmes, how would you suggest we do that?"

"No, wait," Jack said, the light of realization dawning on his face. " _Look for clues_." He too turned to face the Doctor. "How close can you get us to that thing?" he asked. "Because to move something that big, you need a lot of power, right? And with great power comes-"

"Some sort of residue," the Doctor finished. "Brilliant, Jack!" He clapped him on the shoulder, beaming. "If we can get in there, the TARDIS sensors should be able to pick it up, possibly even track it back to where it started." He dashed to the console, flipping switches and pressing buttons madly.

River and Jack hurried over to join him, but Mystery stayed at the door. She sat down, her legs dangling out into open space, and watched the planets in orbit before her, wincing every time one collided and burned. She wondered how many were inhabited.

"Hold on, Mystery," the Doctor called, grabbing on to the console. "With that many gravitational fields out there, this could be a bumpy ride."

Grinning, Mystery gripped the edge of the doorframe. "Ready when you are," she yelled back, then let out a whoop of glee as the TARDIS rocketed forward, bumping and lurching. When at last they came to a stop, she was mere meters from one of the stars.

Jack came to stand behind her. "Shouldn't it be hotter?" he asked. The Doctor laughed.

"Tinted windows, remember?" he said lightly. "Also good for heat."

"Of course it is," Jack muttered, shaking his head with a grin. "I should have known."

"Right then. If you two could get away from the door?" he asked. "I'll need to drop some of the shields to let the sensors go to work. It's better for all of us if the doors are shut."

"Of course." Jack reached down and pulled Mystery to her feet. She smiled in thanks and closed the wooden doors firmly. "Ready when you are," she said.

"Excellent. River, if you'd take that button there." He guided her hand to the right knob. "Jack, this lever, if you would. Perfect. Mystery, the same, but the other side." He flexed his fingers, then placed them on the controls. "I've got to drop all of the shields, just for a moment. River, push that as soon as I say so. Jack and Mystery, you're in charge of raising the rest of the shields and keeping them raised. They've got to stay up, alright?" he said seriously. "Very important. And it's going to resist, so watch out for that."

Jack saluted with his free hand. "Yes sir," he said with a grin. Mystery nodded.

"Excellent." The Doctor looked around, checking to see that they were in their proper positions, then grinned. "Let's find some clues."

At a nod from the Doctor, the three companions pressed down hard on their assigned controls. Instantly, all the screens filled with text and jagged graphs.

"Interesting," the Doctor muttered. "Very interesting. Ooh, that is a bit nasty, isn't it? Jack, keep that lever down."

"What're you getting, Doctor?" Jack asked, putting all of his body weight onto the little lever.

"With these readings, I think it must be-" The Doctor broke off with a grunt, doubling over and clutching his stomach. Jack and Mystery rushed to his side, but he flung out a hand. "No," he gasped, "you can't-"

"Jack, you can't leave that lever," River said urgently. "Not you either, Mystery."

"Then what're we going to do?" Mystery cried. "We can't just leave him, what if something's gone wrong?" The Doctor was on his knees now, crying like a child.

"Well, obviously something's gone wrong," replied River irritably, "but there's nothing we can do. Drop the shields now and the whole TARDIS goes up in flames, with us in it. Those wooden doors become nothing but wood, and I'll remind you we're hardly meters away from a massive star."

"Doctor, are you alright?" Jack called, looking intently at the writhing Time Lord.

"Doctor?" The Doctor looked up at him with a hint of a grin. "Doctor who? Argh!" He twisted away, clutching his head. "Oh, my giddy aunt."

River went white. "River, what's going on?" Mystery asked. "What's he mean, 'doctor who?' And why does his voice sound different?"

"I don't know," River whispered. "At least, not yet. Time will tell, it always does."

"Doctor, what do we do?" Jack asked, loudly and clearly.

"Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow!" the Doctor gasped, clutching the edge of the console.

"No, don't," River said quickly as Jack reached to do as he said. "He's not himself. Well, actually, I think he is himself," she added, thinking again. "Just more than he should be."

"River!" The Doctor pulled himself to his feet, staggering towards her. He lurched forward, one hand outstretched. "Would you like a jelly baby?"

"There then, that settles it," River said, nodding and shoving the Doctor's hand away. He spun backwards, towards Mystery.

"Settles what?" Mystery demanded, leaning heavily on the little lever, which she could feel starting to resist. "River, just tell us what's going on!" She stepped away from the flailing Doctor, who patted her roughly on the shoulder.

"Brave heart, Tegan," he told her with an encouraging smile, and he was off again.

"He's cycling through all his past regenerations," River explained, dodging the Doctor's wildly circling limbs. "Whatever's moved the stars is affecting him too, I would say. Right back from the very beginning of him."

"Mmm, I wonder… Aha!" The Doctor grinned crazily at them, grabbing on to one of the screens.

"Don't bother asking," River told Mystery, who shut her mouth quickly. "You won't get any sense out of him til it's done, I expect."

"Not this time…" the Time Lord muttered, shoving away the screen. "Who am I?"

"But what happens when he gets through them all?" Jack asked, watching the Doctor with careful eyes. "Will it end then?"

River shrugged. "I've no idea."

"Fantastic!" exclaimed the Doctor with a beaming smile.

"No, it's really not, Doctor," Mystery told him sharply. "Not fantastic at all."

"Allons-y!"

"Forget it," Jack said firmly. "We're gonna have to sort this out ourselves."

"No, wait," River said. "For once he's actually making sense." She looked up at her bewildered audience. "Mystery, you've got the TARDIS translation in you. What does 'allons-y' mean?"

"It's French," Mystery replied instantly. "For 'let's go'."

"There you go, see?" It was very clear that the others did not see. " _Let's go._ He's telling us what to do - we need to get away from the star." Then her face fell. "If I had both hands, I could fly us away easily," River said, frustrated, "but as it is, I'm just as stuck as you are." She shrugged. "We need our pilot."

"No, you don't," the Doctor gasped. "You don't need me at all. You've got everything you need, you always do."

"Doctor, you're back!" Mystery cried. "You're you again!"

"Only for a moment," he said with a weak smile. "The process is still going."

"So what do we do?" River demanded. "Doctor, quickly!"

"Set the TARDIS controls to autopilot," he instructed. "Then-" But his words were cut off as he staggered backwards, in the throes of whatever held him once more.

River blew out her breath in an exasperated huff. "Couldn't you just smack him sometimes?" she asked the other two.

"So now what?" Jack asked. "Set it to autopilot?"

"Can't," River said grimly. "I'd still need two hands."

"Wait a moment," Mystery said suddenly. "River, you've only got a button to keep down, right?" River nodded. "Right then," she said, shifting her position slightly. "Get out of the way."

"Whatever you're planning, just remember: I can't take my finger off it for more than a second," River warned.

"Then I hope you have good reflexes," Mystery said with a grin. Before either of the others could protest, she swung one booted foot up and over the edge of the console, landing squarely on the button in question. River only just got her finger out of the way.

Jack nodded, impressed. "Nice," he said with a grin. "Very nice. Who needs to be fancy, anyway?"

"Okay," River breathed, shaking out her hand and dashing to the other side of the console. "I'll send us away, back to where we were. That should-"

"Shut up!" the Doctor barked suddenly, sounding almost Scottish. "Just shut up, shut up, shut up, shutitty up up up!"

"Right, that's it." Turning away from her controls, River stepped forward and punched the Doctor square in the jaw. "Sorry, sweetie," she said as he crumpled to the floor, "but right now, I need to fly, with no distractions." She expertly manipulated the controls, ignoring the scandalized looks Mystery and Jack were shooting her.

Moments later, to everyone's relief, the engines kicked in, churning and whirring them away from the star.

"I'm putting the shields back up," River said, and Jack and Mystery released their levers with sighs of relief. "I've no idea how he managed the tinted windows bit, though," she added warningly, "so don't open the doors."

"Yes, ma'am," Jack said, giving her a mock salute and a grin. Then he walked over and knelt beside the Doctor. Mystery joined him. "So now we wait?"

"We could," River said, rolling up her sleeves, "but I'm impatient." She stepped over the prone Time Lord and slapped him across the face. Mystery couldn't help but wince.

"Punch him asleep and slap him awake?" she muttered to Jack, who grinned.

"Whatever works," he replied. "I'll trust her methods any day." For sure enough, the Doctor startled back into consciousness, gasping and rubbing his jaw.

"Yowza! Back in action!" He clambered to his feet, shaking out his arms and legs and straightening his bow tie. "Seems to be all in order, at least. Now then, what were we doing? Oh yes," he continued before anyone else could answer. "Clueing for looks! I mean, looking for clues. Ow." He patted his face carefully, then glanced at his wife. "River, was that really necessary?"

River shrugged. "Necessary, maybe not. But effective." She smiled enigmatically. "I learned it from you."

"Well, then," the Doctor said, trying and failing to stay angry. "Alright."

"Sorry to break up your little flirt-fest here," Jack cut in, "but I'd like to know what happened back there."

"Yes," Mystery agreed, crossing her arms. "Doctor, I think you owe us an explanation."

* * *

 **A.N: Aaand that explanation will have to wait for next time, I'm afraid. Sorry. If you're a longtime reader of mine, you know that chapters rarely come out the way I want them to. I do hope you enjoyed it. The whole 'going through regenerations' thing is something I've wanted to do for quite some time, and this felt like an ideal place to put it in. We'll get some actual plot going in the next chapter, I promise. Also, spot the Sherlock reference!**

 **I should note that all I know of Classic Who I picked up from Pinterest, basically, and while I do have a fairly large arsenal at my command, considering I've never seen a single episode, there's only so much I can do. Not that there's a ton I could really get wrong here, but even so.**

 **Thank you again, my dears, for reading and your lovely reviews. For those who are wondering, 1 final down, 3 to go, and so far so good. I can always use a bit of happiness, though, so thank you all for supplying it. Much love to all!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	8. Fast-Forward

"An explanation, eh?" the Doctor asked, crossing his arms and looking around at his three companions. "Well. I suppose that's not unreasonable. Where do you want to start?"

"With… _that,"_ Mystery said forcefully. "That episode of yours. Whatever that was."

"The field thing," Jack said at the same time. "What's it doing to those stars?"

River laughed. "How about we start at the beginning?"

"Right. Beginnings! I like beginnings." The Doctor rubbed his hands together eagerly. "So! We went closer, dropped the shields to take some readings - I suppose you know all of that. Anyway, I got a good look at that time field, and _wowee_ , is it a beauty!"

"A time field?" Jack asked, leaning against the console. "I wondered. What kind?"

"I'm not sure if there's a name for it, actually," he answered with a delighted grin. "I've never seen one before. A time speedy-upper, maybe. Bring-back-the-past field? No, not quite right."

"Oh, get on with it," River muttered.

"No, I've got it!" he announced triumphantly. "A fast-forward field!"

River shook her head, bushy curls bouncing. "I hate you sometimes, you know that?"

"No you don't," the Doctor replied easily. Mystery grinned, forcing down a laugh.

"So come to the point, Doctor," Jack cut in. "What does this thing actually do?"

"It fast-forwards," he explained simply. At the glares from the rest, he hurriedly went on. "Everything it surrounds, every star out there," he waved a hand at the door, "gets plucked out of its time and brought forward, speeding through years and years and years of life, in just minutes. Hugely powerful and probably dangerous, but even so…" He whistled admiringly. "I'd love to shake the hand of the person who made that."

"With any luck, you'll get to," Mystery said. "And convince them to put it back the way it was!" Jack nodded vigorously in hearty agreement.

"So this fast-forward field," River scowled at the name, "it brought those stars forward in time?"

"Well, not exactly," the Doctor replied, spinning around to face her. "They're staying exactly where they are, but in the future. So all those stars right now, in this moment, are just floating clouds of space dust, if even that. But give it a million years, two million, three, and you've got a big, beautiful, burning ball of fiery gas, shining for all to see. The field's just sped it up a bit, is all."

"Just a bit." Mystery snorted at the understatement.

"So what actually happened to you, then?" Jack asked the Doctor curiously.

"Basically the same thing, except not at all the same."

River glanced at the other two. "See what I meant about smacking him?"

"No no no no no no, see, I'm a big, complicated space-time event," the Doctor explained, hands flying about as he spoke. "My very _existence_ tears holes in the fabric of space, I was never supposed to happen, really. But I've got enough time energy centered around me to make the field have an effect."

"And the effect was?" Mystery continued, trying to bring him to the point. He scowled at her.

"Yes, yes, hold on. Basically, it dragged me from the very beginning of my life onwards. You lot only saw the highlights, that's all we had time for, which is a shame because _you missed out_." He winked. "And even past the present, too. Right into my next regeneration. Who knows how far it would have gone."

"So why didn't it affect us as well?" River asked, propping her hands on her hips. "God knows we've all lived complicated enough lives, we should have loads of time energy. It comes with time travel, yes?"

"Yes," the Doctor agreed, "but even the three of you together wouldn't be enough to even come close to me. Compared to me, you all are just children. None of you are nearly important enough to trigger that field."

"Thank you, sweetie," said River, with only a hint of sarcasm. Mystery giggled.

"So that last bit was future you?" Jack wrinkled his nose. "I didn't like him much, and from me that's saying something. Seemed a bit rude. And Scottish!" He shook his head, grinning. "My goodness, Doctor. So much to look forward to."

"Yes, well, it was bound to happen eventually," the Doctor said dismissively. "I'd say we've got enough to worry about in the present without fretting about the future, wouldn't you?"

"If you can even call it that," Mystery said quietly. "How can we call it the present when the future is right outside those doors?" Then her eyes widened. "Wait. Doctor, you said you would have kept going, right? That there wasn't anything stopping you?"

"Not a thing," he answered brightly. "The field is still at full power."

"So those stars are still going as well? Still developing, millions and millions of years in minutes?"

"Yes…"

"If I can jump in," Jack said, pushing off the console and striding over next to Mystery, "I think I see where she's going with this. Now I'm no star scientist, but I'm fairly certain the last step of a star's life cycle is a black hole?"

"A black hole…" River's eyes widened as she realized the implications of what he'd said. "But there must be hundreds of stars out there!"

"Oh, thousands," the Doctor corrected her. "Maybe more, depending on how far this field extends. If I can adjust the parameters of the scan, we should be able to get a pretty good idea."

They all crowded around one of the screens as the Doctor keyed in commands. The image, a black screen covered in little white dots, zoomed out and out and out, and the dots just kept coming.

Jack whistled, long and low. "How far out is that?" he asked, staring at the screen covered in white dots.

"All the way," the Doctor answered softly, pulling out a pair of round spectacles and putting them on. "To the edge of the universe. Which means…" He keyed in a few more commands and hundreds of red dots joined the white. "I was right. Every planet in the universe is in range of one of these things."

"Every planet?" He nodded. "In the entire universe?" He nodded again. Jack blew out his breath, running a hand through his hair. "Okay. That's really not good."

"'Not good' doesn't cover it." He returned the glasses to his pocket. "A black hole's a dead star. It collapses in on itself, in and in and in until the matter's so dense and tight it starts to pull everything else in too. Nothing in the universe can escape it. Light, gravity, time. Everything just gets pulled inside and crushed."

"Time?" River asked, looking sharply at her spouse. "How does that work?"

But the Doctor only shrugged. "To be honest, I've no idea," he said simply. "Black holes are messy. The last time I got close to a black hole, well…" He shook his head. "Let's say it could have ended very badly. I'm not eager to do it again."

"But all those planets are going to get pulled in," Mystery said, staring at the thousands of tiny red dots on the screen. "All of them, and everyone on them. Crushed. The entire universe completely destroyed."

"But who would do that?" Jack asked. "If the entire universe is gone, what's left? I don't see how anyone stands to gain something from this. It's irrational."

"Who said they have to be rational?" River countered. But the Doctor shook his head.

"I've seen it before," he said slowly, "just once. Jack, you remember, I'm sure. In 2008, the entire Earth got stolen," he explained to the others. "The Daleks took it and 26 others to make a reality bomb."

"Okay?" Mystery asked. "And that does what exactly?"

"They wanted to destroy the universe, basically," the Doctor said simply, "and that was the key to doing it. All matter, everywhere in the universe, would be crushed into atoms, and then those atoms crushed even smaller until there was nothing left. Nothing except them. The only life in the universe." His eyes were hard and cold. "They very nearly killed everyone I loved."

"We made it out alright, thankfully," Jack said, looking at the Doctor, "but I sure wouldn't put it past them to try again."

"So the Daleks created this field?" River asked, confirming. "Their next strategy?"

"We don't know that for sure," the Doctor cautioned her, "but I'd say it's a pretty fair guess."

"But how could they think you wouldn't notice?" Mystery wondered. "Every star in every part of the universe, that's bound to catch anyone's attention."

"Destroying the universe." Jack shook his head. "Say what you will, but the Daleks sure as hell know how to aim high. They're gonna crush everything that's ever existed, all in one go."

"No, I don't think they are," the Doctor said with a hint of a smile. River raised an eyebrow.

"And why not, Doctor?" Jack asked with a grin.

"Because we're going to figure out exactly who's doing this, and why," he answered. "And then we're going to stop it."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, everyone! Apologies about the lateness of this chapter. I made it through finals, you'll be pleased to know, but I've found I actually get less done when I'm just sitting at home, which does not bode well for Christmas break. I'm gonna do my best to post a chapter on my birthday, which is on Thursday (yay!) but I don't know if I'll actually manage it. Perhaps for Christmas.**

 **I've got a deal on with my friend right now that I can finish both this story and my next one before she can watch the entirety of Doctor Who. Quite frankly, I'm reasonably certain the odds are not in my favor, but I'm bound and determined to try.**

 **Also, I'm come up with my next story idea and I'm incredibly excited about it. It is, at long last, going to be a Wholock story, based on the Youtube trailer called Elysium. Look it up, it is glorious and I'm super in love with it. I can't even wait, honestly, but I've got I think two other things to do first... ugh. Oh well. It's always good to have something to do, don't you think?**

 **Much love to you all!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**

 **P.S: Taylor, you're an idiot (just roll with it, guys)**

 **P.P.S: If you also review that I will be absolutely delighted with you. My friend is a stalker and I love her**


	9. A Mystery Call

"So the first step would be to isolate the source of this field," the Doctor said, fingers flying on the controls. "There's certainly enough individual fields to triangulate the signal."

"And when you've triangulated it, you'll be able to find where all of this started?" Mystery asked.

"That's the goal," River said, joining the Doctor at the console. Then she frowned at the screen. "Hold on a moment. You've got an incoming signal."

"What kind of a signal?" the Doctor asked offhand, clearly busy with his own task.

"It looks like… No, that can't be. Jack, come look at this." Jack came up to stand behind River, peering over shoulder at the screen. "It's not very clear. The solar energy is disrupting it, I think."

"Is that a phone signal?" he said, almost disbelieving. "Can you get service in space?"

"With a little jiggery pokery, sure thing." The Doctor winked.

"So what's the verdict?" Jack asked. "Let it through?"

"May as well," the Doctor answered, pulling a lever. "It's probably just Clara, wondering what we're up to." He grinned at Mystery.

"Who?" Jack and River asked in unison. Mystery laughed as the Doctor squirmed.

"Just patch it through," she said, waving off their question. Jack grinned and punched in the commands.

 _Rrrriiinnngg! Rrrriiinnngg!_

Mystery jumped in spite of herself. River raised an eyebrow at the Doctor.

"So it is a phone signal. And who would be calling you?" she asked skeptically. The Doctor shrugged, eyes wide.

"No idea," he said honestly. Then he grinned. "Only one way to find out." He reached out and snatched up the handset from the console. "Hello?" he said into the phone, spinning about to lean on the console.

"Hello, Doctor." Mystery could hardly hear the voice on the other end. "I expect you'll want to put me on speaker or something. I'd hate for anyone to miss this."

"I suppose I can do that," the Doctor answered carefully, casting curious glances around at the rest. He typed in a few commands, then set the phone on the console, nestled in between several levers. "Now. You can start by telling me who's calling."

"Ah, come now, Doctor," the voice said tauntingly, the sound filling the room. "That'd be playing fair." The voice was, Mystery could now tell, a woman's, and most definitely Scottish. "All you have to know is that I'm very familiar with you, and I have information you need. Information you crave."

Jack cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I am Captain Jack Harkness, leader of Torchwood Three. You will identify yourself. Planet of origin, galactic coordinates, species designation according to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation. Anything."

Mystery winced. She had not had a good relationship with the Shadow Proclamation in the past. Still, if it helped them figure out who they were dealing with, more's the better.

The mysterious woman laughed. "Oh, how positively darling. Torchwood? It's been ages, my dear. Still scrapping along with the trash of the universe?"

The captain stiffened, raising his head high. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," he warned, every inch the bad cop. "Trash it might be, but Torchwood wields considerable power and influence, and if you think that-"

"Oh, stuff it, won't you?" There was a definite irritation to the woman's voice, although Mystery sensed a tinge of amusement as well. "Your tiny Torchwood can't touch me. None of you can. Not even your clever little triangulation trick, Doctor," she added, causing him to step back from the console and abandon his controls rather sheepishly.

"How did you find this number?" River demanded. "Hardly anyone in the universe has access to that phone."

"Let's see, that must be the Missus," the voice said mockingly. "Awfully direct, isn't she, Doctor? My, my. I don't think much of your choice." River didn't react - Mystery was impressed. "As for how I got in, well. You dropped your shields. Everything you had was blasted out for the universe to see." There was a pause, and Mystery could tell the woman was grinning. "You essentially gave me your phone number. How could I not call?"

"But those shields were down for less than a second," the Doctor put in, scratching his head. "For you to get a connection, you had to be watching me." He smiled slightly, ducking his head. "I'm almost flattered."

"Of course I was watching." The strange voice was filled with disdain, as though this should have been obvious from the start. "I knew it had to be you. How many other people do you know that would fly their ship straight at a star?"

Mystery laughed. "Well, she's got a point," she said when the others looked at her. "That is a very Doctor-like thing to do. 'Oh, here's a massive, dangerous thing that's disobeying the laws of time and space'," she said, imitating the Doctor's voice. "'Let's go and poke it with a stick'."

"Oh, I'd forgotten how much I liked this one," the voice said musingly. "Yes, she's got spark, doesn't she? I love a girl with spirit."

"Get to the point," Jack said firmly. "You obviously called for a reason."

"Yes, it's never just a social call," the Doctor added sadly. "Everybody always wants something."

"Next time, I promise," the woman said coyly. The Doctor raised an eyebrow, shuffling about and grinning. River elbowed him.

"So then, the point," Jack prompted.

"Alright, if you insist." The woman's sigh crackled over the speakers. "It figures. Torchwood never held much stock with niceties. I would hope you've noticed the little star problem going on," she said before Jack could respond.

"How could we have missed it?" River muttered.

"Says the woman who crashed into one," Mystery pointed out with a grin, a grin that was quickly wiped away at River's glare.

"Yes, we've noticed," the Doctor said, ignoring them completely. "I'm assuming you know something about that?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Would you like to know something about it too? Of course you would," she continued, with barely a pause. "You always were curious. And I'm going to give you two things, just two, that are guaranteed to bring you running."

"Oh?" The Doctor cocked his head slightly, his voice measured. "And what's that?"

All four waited with bated breath as the mysterious woman chuckled. "Like I said: curiosity. The first thing is a set of space-time coordinates." The screens suddenly cleared, then a line of numbers, letters, and symbols scrolled across.

"Alright." The Doctor dashed to the screen, saving the coordinates before they disappeared. "And the other thing?"

"The other thing is a name, the name of something you've lost and something that will be found so very very soon."

She paused, and Mystery held her breath, certain she knew what was coming. From the Doctor's expression, he knew it too. She'd heard him talking about it for most of her childhood, as early as she could remember. Always wondering, always hoping.

"Gallifrey." There was a click, and the mysterious caller was gone.

* * *

 **A.N: Hello all! Happy Christmas Eve! I decided I just had to post a chapter as a present to you all. So yes. Congratulations. I'm sorry this is so short, but it needed to end there, and I actually had less than I planned for a change, which was somewhat nice. But sort of not as fun for you.**

 **A fun development: if any of you like musicals or just appreciate history/music/rap/cleverness, definitely check out Hamilton the Musical. It is fabulous and I have fallen in love with it completely (I'm listening to it right now, actually) and I feel the need to share. So yes. Appreciate it.**

 **Thank you to everybody who wished me a happy birthday, it was a lovely surprise to see people actually paying attention to that. So thank you very much. My sister got me a sonic screwdriver, so that's awesome :) It's a good birthday. Much love to you all!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	10. Daleks?

"Get her back," Jack said immediately, practically flying to the console and jabbing the keys and buttons. "If we can trace the call, call her back, we could get some more information-"

"Forget it," the Doctor said, waving a hand. "Even if we could get her back, which I doubt, she wouldn't tell us any more."

"Who was she?" Mystery asked. "She certainly sounded like she knew you. And I can't shake the feeling that she knew me too." _And that I knew her,_ she added silently. Surely she had heard that voice before somewhere?

"I don't know," he answered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "All I have is guesses."

"So have a guess, then," River said irritably, slumping against the railing. "Your guesses are usually good."

"Thank you, honey." He flashed her a beaming smile.

"That wasn't a Dalek voice, that's for sure," Jack commented. "So that rules them out."

"Not completely," the Doctor countered. "The Daleks have this… trick, I suppose. Nanoclouds, that automatically process organic matter and make it into a Dalek puppet. Looks like a human, acts like a human, but controlled completely by the Daleks." He paused, eyes far away. "There was this woman, named Darla, that I met on Skaro."

"Skaro?" Jack asked.

"Planet of the Daleks," River told him quietly.

"She had a daughter, but they made her forget about her completely. And some forget they've died. It's… inhumane." He shook his head, looking at the floor. "I wonder why that surprises me anymore, where the Daleks are concerned."

"So you think this could have been a Dalek puppet?" Mystery asked, somewhat skeptical. "Why, to throw us off the track?"

"Daleks aren't big on deception," River pointed out.

"Daleks are big on survival," the Doctor retorted, turning to face his wife. "They do what they can, whatever they can, to make sure they are the superior race of the universe, and if that includes hijacking the minds and bodies of others, it will have been well worth it!" He broke off, breathing hard. "All I'm saying," he said, his voice carefully controlled, "is that Dalek involvement is a distinct possibility, and don't rule it out just yet."

"But Gallifrey," Mystery said in a hush. "How could the Daleks possibly find it before you could?"

"How could anyone find it before me?" he roared, spinning away in anger. "If it's really lost, and not destroyed, which it may or may not be, how could anyone possibly find it before I could?"

"Even if it isn't the Daleks," Jack said, determinedly calm, "how could someone know they would find something _soon_? Seems to me you only know you're going to find something once you've found it."

"Those coordinates," River said suddenly. "They couldn't be for Gallifrey, then, or she'd have found it already. Whoever she is," she muttered.

"Either way, we've essentially been invited." The Doctor stepped to the controls, back to his easy-going self. "It'd be terribly rude not to go, don't you think?"

"It's a trap," warned River immediately.

"Of course it's a trap," he said easily, flipping a few controls. "It's always a trap." He grinned, spreading his arms wide. "But I'm still here." Then he glanced at the screen and paled.

"What is it?" Mystery asked, coming around to look. River and Jack joined him.

"Doesn't mean a thing to me," Jack said, shrugging and stepping away. But Mystery had her eyes on River, who had gone oddly still.

"You know it, don't you?" she asked carefully. River exchanged a glance with the Doctor, who nodded slowly.

"Those coordinates point to an asteroid," he began, "with a massive warehouse on it. Abandoned now, or at least I thought so. It would make an ideal spot for a base," he added thoughtfully.

"Alright?" Mystery knew there was more. "So what's so special about it?"

"It's called Demon's Run," River answered. "It's the place the Doctor learned who I was, really who I was." She hesitated. "It's also the place I was born."

Mystery raised an eyebrow. "Go there often, do you?"

"No, just the once," came the simple reply. Mystery decided not to ask.

"And you think that's where this person is calling from?" Jack asked.

"It would make sense," the Doctor replied, keying in a command. "Or if not calling from there, then I would say she's at least got a base - or maybe, _they've_ got a base." He shook his head. "I knew I should have done something more about that before I left. Time travel," he said with a sigh. "It leaves so many loose ends."

River crossed her arms. "But either way, you're going." It wasn't a question.

"Of course. And you're not trying to stop me."

"Of course." River smiled at the Doctor as he pressed a quick kiss on her lips.

"Now hold on tight," he said with a delighted grin. "There's enough stars out there to burn a universe, and with solar storms and gravity flares and whatnot," he laced his fingers together and bent them out, flexing his fingers, "this is sure to be a bumpy ride."

"No stabilizers, this time?" Mystery asked teasingly. The Doctor winked at her.

"Not a chance," he replied easily. "Everybody holding on? Alright, then." He pulled down the starting lever. "Geronimo!"

As warned, the journey was not a smooth one. Mystery was thrown across the walkway to hit the railing. She grabbed it tightly and felt her feet leaving the floor as the TARDIS lurched again. River collided with her from behind.

"Ugh! Apologies," she said to the younger woman. "This could be so much easier if he wasn't so blasted _stubborn_."

"No matter," Mystery replied with a smile. "It's who he is."

"Tell me something I don't know - oh!" The TARDIS jerked again, knocking Mystery off her feet. River seized her under one arm and hauled her back.

"So where we're going… It's going to be dangerous, yes?" Mystery asked, wrapping an arm more securely around the railing.

"Oh, undoubtedly." River blew the hair out of her eyes. "Given the history of where we're going, I don't think it could be anything but."

"And what is the history?"

River chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Complicated," she said at last. "Suffice to say there was a battle, a massive one, one that very nearly destroyed the Doctor's entire… family. I for one am not eager to repeat the experience."

"But you didn't stop him from going," Mystery persisted. "You didn't even try. Why not?"

River regarded her a moment, then sat back on her heels. "When one is in love with a reckless, adventure-loving immortal, you learn you can't protect them all the time. Nor should you." She leaned in a little closer, looking at Mystery intently. "For most of my life, I knew far more about the Doctor than he knew about me. For the rest, the opposite is true. We're both time travelers, we keep meeting in the wrong order. And do you know what the Doctor's first rule is?"

Mystery shook her head, captivated by River's tale.

"No spoilers," she said with a wry smile. "No sneak previews. Because one of us always knows what is coming. You're engaged, aren't you?"

Mystery nodded, suddenly keenly aware of the ring tucked away in her pocket.

"Imagine for a second that you knew something terrible was going to happen to him, something you'd seen and been unable to stop. Perhaps we land in the future and you see him get in a car crash. What do you do? Do you tell him? Try to protect him? Stop him from getting in the car that day?"

"No matter what you do, you've already seen it happen, it's already come to pass," Mystery whispered. "But the Doctor, can't he change things? Pop off in time, rewrite history-"

River shook her head. "Too often, at least where he and I are concerned, the times we meet are fixed, unable to be changed. I tore time apart, trying to avoid killing him, and in the end, it had to happen anyway."

Mystery raised an eyebrow. "You killed him? But… He's still here." She glanced across the console room to where the Doctor and Jack were fighting with the controls and getting thrown about. River smiled.

"He is. That wonderful man… He's too clever for his own good," she said fondly. "Besides, if he were to change what happened, he'd be changing the memories, either his or mine, and that is _not_ something I'm willing to allow. If I hadn't stopped time that way, we wouldn't have gotten married."

"So, what?" Mystery demanded. "You'll let him go straight into a trap, knowing he might die or worse, and do nothing?"

"It's not for me to let him do anything," River said firmly. "I don't control him, and he certainly doesn't control me. But I will do _everything I can_ to make sure that nothing happens to him. Alright?"

Mystery looked into the eyes of the older woman and nodded. Then the TARDIS lurched and they were thrown apart. Mystery seized hold of the railing, holding tight, and closed her eyes, waiting for the ride to be over.

When at last it was still, Mystery hauled herself to her feet, looking around to see the others picking themselves up and dusting themselves off. The Doctor was beaming from ear to ear.

"We made it!" he announced triumphantly, patting the console affectionately. "Knew you could do it, old girl. Bit more trouble than I expected, I have to say. Really nasty solar storm halfway through, but no harm done, eh?"

"Are we here, then?" Jack asked, adjusting his suspenders.

"I certainly hope so," the Doctor replied, walking over to the door. "Either here or Clom. One of the two." He turned to River, smiling. "Demon's Run." He laughed lightly and held out an arm. "Shall we?"

River stepped forward and linked her arm through his. "Absolutely, sweetie." The Doctor beamed down at his wife, then glanced back.

"Coming, you two?"

Grinning, Mystery hurried over. Jack met her at the door, and, with a smile too charming to deny, held out his arm just as the Doctor had done. "Join me?" he asked.

"Stop it, Jack," the Doctor said immediately. He shrugged good-naturedly.

Mystery blushed slightly, but slipped her arm through his. "Don't worry," he said into her ear, "I'm not the kind of guy to budge in on someone else's relationship."

She smiled up at him. "Somehow I wasn't worried," she said, hating the part of herself that wished he was. He winked.

"I have that effect on everyone," he whispered, as if reading her mind. "Perfectly alright."

Mystery blushed even harder. "No, really," the Doctor put in, overhearing. "Everyone."

"Can we just go, please?" she asked, trying to salvage whatever dignity she had left. River took pity on her.

"Come on," she said to her husband, and together they pulled open both wooden doors and stepped through, Mystery and Jack on their heels.

And stopped. "Oh," the Doctor said faintly, looking around at the spectacle that greeted them. "You know," he commented to River, "sometimes I hate to be right."

"THE DOCTOR HAS BEEN LOCATED," screeched an all too familiar voice. "EXTERMINATE!"

They had landed right in the middle of a circle of Daleks.

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, all! Winter break is treating me well, obviously, and leaving me plenty of time to write. Once again, I've utterly restructured my plot because things got away with me, and yes. Shouldn't change anything I've already written yet, though, so that's good, and it will fill in a little loophole from the original story... Well, you'll see. Spoilers.**

 **Anyway, I haven't much to say today, so thank you again for taking time to read, especially those faithful few who read over Christmas, and thank you too for the reviews! I always love reading them.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	11. The Mistress of Demon's Run

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"How many?" Jack cried, pulling a pistol out of goodness-knows-where and aiming it at the nearest Dalek. "Doctor, how many are there?"

"Does it matter?" River asked, also drawing a gun. "We can't touch them anyway, hardly anything can kill a Dalek."

"Oh thanks, that's cheerful," Mystery spat sarcastically, backing up against the TARDIS.

"Everybody, get back in the TARDIS!" the Doctor yelled, whipping out his sonic screwdriver and aiming it at one Dalek after another. "Close the doors, that's start the field, and-"

"Oh, I don't think that'll be necessary, do you?"

All four turned to look for the source of the voice. "It's her!" Mystery gasped, pointing across the room. "It's the woman who called!"

Certainly enough, on the other side of the massive, empty warehouse was a tall woman in a long, old-fashioned purple coat and matching skirt, and was holding an umbrella. Her hair was piled high on her on her head, her makeup was extremely dramatic. She strode over towards them, swinging her umbrella from side to side.

"Would you look what the cat dragged in?" She gave them a cheeky little wave.

"THE DOCTOR MUST BE EXTERMINATED!" one Dalek blared.

"EXTERMINATE, EXTERMINATE!" Angry Dalek voices echoed around the room until-

"Oh, shut _up!_ " the woman snapped. Almost instantly, silence fell. "Pardon my little friends," she said apologetically to the others, smiling brightly. "They have got _such_ tempers."

No one said anything.

"Well, hello, back, nice to see you, all that," she said, sounding vaguely bored. "Did you miss me?"

All she received in return were dumbfounded, bemused stares.

"Oh, come now," she said, obviously disappointed. "You've got an excuse," she said to River."Never met you. But I definitely remember you." She pointed her umbrella at Jack, who stood up a little straighter. "And you, of course." Now she swung the tip towards Mystery, near enough now that the plastic tip nearly touched the young woman's chest.

"I know you," Mystery said, staring at the strange woman. "I do, I swear… Argh!" She rubbed her temples, willing the memory to fall into place. "Why do I know you?"

"Ah, we met under rather different circumstances," the woman said, dropping Mystery a wink. "Recent memory restoration, the trauma of the situation, I imagine it'll come to you in time. It's called repression, maybe you've heard of it? Blocking out the bad memories because your sad little human minds can't handle it." She frowned in mock sympathy. "Must be dreadful. Of course," she added thoughtfully, "I may have helped that along a bit."

 _Trauma?_ Mystery wondered, thoroughly confused. _What sort of trauma?_ She shifted, uncomfortable under the curious gazes of her three companions.

"Don't let it worry you, dear, there's plenty of other things to worry about now." Without waiting for a reaction, the woman turned to the Doctor. "But _you."_ She shook her head slightly, her gaze never leaving the Doctor's. "Oh, it's been ages. And a new face? Hmm." She laid one hand on his cheek, patting his face coyly. "I _like_ it." Without warning, she darted forward and kissed the top of the Doctor's nose, then danced away, giggling.

River shifted slightly, raising her gun a little higher. Mystery smiled to herself. Surely the Doctor's wife wasn't _jealous?_

The Doctor stared levelly at her, clearly uncomfortable. "Well, that's nice," he said, "but I'm married." He reached for River's hand and pulled her close, wrapping an arms around her shoulder. River suddenly looked much less upset.

The woman sniffed. "Well, that's no fun."

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, rubbing his hands together. "Hundreds of years old, limited memory, it gets to you. But, er… Who are you?"

The strange woman regarded him with interest for a moment. "You don't know," she said at last, with a lilting laugh. "Do you see this?" She spun around to address the Daleks, who were silently circled around them. Jack was forced to duck to avoid the umbrella. "I go to all the trouble to bring him here and he doesn't know me!" Her voice echoed in the empty room. "A little appreciation, that's all I ask."

"Yes, well, I've been known not to know myself at times," the Doctor said easily, "so don't feel slighted. It's nothing personal."

"Hah!" She snorted derisively. " _Personal._ As if-" Then she froze, staring at the Doctor with intense, beady eyes. "But if you don't know me…" she said softly, slowly straightening up, "then something's gone wrong with your timeline. Because you didn't know me when we first met. Well, met like this, anyway," she added with a slightly hysterical laugh.

Mystery caught River's eye and saw the same question reflected in the older woman's eyes. _Something wrong with the Doctor's timeline?_ Both knew from experience that this could lead to nothing good.

"Listen, is there something we can call you?" the Doctor asked with a charming smile. "It's a bit disconcerting to be talking to someone without a name."

"Look who's talking," River muttered.

"I can choose you one, if you like," he added helpfully. "How about Xavier? Or Bobi, I've always fancied the name Bobi."

The woman raised one thin eyebrow. "Hasn't changed a bit, has he?" she asked, her audience was forced to agree. "As if I'd tell my proper name to you lot," she scoffed. "But you can call me Missy."

Mystery frowned, rubbing her head again. Surely that rang a bell? But something was still clouded, still not clear enough for her to place it. It definitely had something to do with the Doctor… But then, that wasn't saying much.

" _Missy."_ The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Not a bad name. I still like Bobi better, though."

"So then, Missy." Jack stepped forward, gun lowered but still ready. "About these Daleks."

"Oh yes, do you like them?" Missy patted the nearest Dalek on the head fondly. "They're good, aren't they?"

"Where did you get them?" Jack asked. "Maybe I'm wrong, but Daleks usually work for themselves, not other people."

"You're right, of course. It does happen with men occasionally." Missy smiled beatifically. "No, they are most absolutely working for themselves. Their interests just happen to line up with mine. And with yours too, if you like," she added with a nod for the Doctor.

"Yes, these interests of yours," River put it, her arm still firmly around the Doctor's waist. "You're being awfully vague about those, you know. Normally I'd approve, but under the circumstances, do get on with it. I am not a patient woman."

"Vague?" Missy laughed. "Of course I'm being vague. Sexy, isn't it?" She winked. "But don't worry. All shall be revealed in time," she said, making her voice overly dramatic. The sound echoed around the room. "I love an echo," she confessed in a whisper to Mystery.

"Yes, well, I'm a Time Lord," the Doctor said firmly. "Time is not the boss of me, and I really don't like waiting."

Missy sniffed. "Fine, have it your way. No appreciation for dramatic build-up," she muttered. "Daleks!"

"YES, MISTRESS," they blared in chorus.

"Ooh, isn't that nice," she cooed. "Surround them. Also, I'll have your guns, if you don't mind," she instructed her captives. "Slide them over, if you please."

River raised an eyebrow. "And what if I refuse?" she asked coldly.

"Oh please, and they said you were clever." Missy sighed. "Look at where you're standing, think about who I've got on my side, and reconsider your statement."

With a glance up at the Doctor, who nodded slightly, River placed her gun on the ground and kicked it over to Missy. Jack rubbed his with a sigh and followed suit.

"There," he said, holding up his empty hands. "You happy?"

"And the other one," Missy said, nodding her head at him. "Don't try to trick me, it doesn't work. I've been around longer than your civilization. I haven't just been around the block, I've been 'round the whole universe."

Jack grinned at the Doctor. "You know, I sort of like her. Ladies," he added, "you may want to close your eyes."

Mystery raised an eyebrow, but willingly did as instructed. River reluctantly followed only at a nudge from the Doctor.

"Alright, you're fine," Jack called, tossing Missy a rather large handgun.

"Where did you-" Mystery started, then thought better of it. Jack winked.

"You don't want to know," he told her.

"Splendid." Missy kicked all the weapons into a pile on the floor, then tapped a Dalek on the eyestalk. "If you would?"

"THE WEAPONS WILL BE EXTERMINATED," the Dalek said, and blasted their guns into nothing.

"Now really," River objected. "I was rather fond of that gun. The High Priest of Atlantis gave it to me."

"Ah, now there's a lovely fellow," the Doctor said fondly. "I played the flugelhorn at his wedding."

"Yes, yes, enough," Missy called over them, waving her hands. "Come along, my dears. Grand plans to be revealed, probably some hearts to be broken-"

"Who said anything about breaking hearts?" Mystery asked.

"Oh, no one," Missy said with a smile. "It's just a side effect of being with me. And!" She held up a finger. "Gallifrey to find. As you would say, Doctor..." She paused, letting the tension build. " _Geronimo."_

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, friends! I return again, like someone else we know. Probably most of you had already guessed it's her, but that's alright. She's a joy. There is nothing more fun than writing a psychopath, let me tell you. It's a pleasure and a privilege. You should try it sometime.**

 **Also, some of you were wondering about our other favorite psychopath, River Song, and how the new developments in the Christmas special will affect how she's written here. The answer is, I don't know. I don't plan to consciously change anything, but quite frankly, my very writing style is always affected by the books I'm reading, and the characters change slightly depending on what episodes I've watched recently (for example, Mystery is sort of starting to sound like Rose in my head). Because I watched the Christmas special three times in approximately 24 hours, I'm guessing some of that will likely bleed through into this. So keep an eye out, I suppose.**

 **I regret to inform you that there will not be a new chapter for some time. We are going to Texas (for my oversea friends, it's a 'warm' place in the south of America) for New Years, and my mother will not allow me to bring my laptop. So that will limit things. I may end up handwriting some of the next chapter while I'm away, which will definitely speed up typing it, but there'll be a delay either way. I will tell you I return on the 3rd and start school again the next day, just so you have some idea. Sorry, friends. Something tells me you'll understand.**

 **I think that's all I have, so thank you all again for reading with me this far and for putting up with an obnoxiously long author's note. I love hearing from you, as ever!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	12. Revelations

"Come along, pets," Missy said, dancing along down the corridor. "So much to do, so little time. There's little stars growing up out there, you know, and they don't much like to wait." She was leading quite a procession - the four inhabitants of the TARDIS were completely surrounded by Daleks, who were leading them nearly single-file down the hallway.

The Doctor shoved his way to the front of the column, banging Daleks into walls until he was just behind Missy.

"Nice place you've got here," he said conversationally, glancing around at the stark military base. "I'm loving the decor."

"Yes, it is a bit lacking, isn't it?" Missy mused, looking around. "Still, it will serve. And I'm sure it has all sorts of lovely memories for you, doesn't it?" His wince was all the answer she needed.

"Yes, an excellent choice," he conceded. "Very clever, awfully clever. But I'm curious."

"Curious?" Missy raised an eyebrow. "A dangerous virtue, Doctor. You've got to be careful with that." She spun on one booted heel, walking backwards so she could face the Doctor.

"Ah, indulge an old man," the Doctor said with a smile. "A special favor."

"I never can resist an old friend," she purred. "Especially not with a face like that."

The Doctor blinked, taken aback, but forged on. "You know me, and from the sound of things, I knew you once, or I'm going to soon. I know you won't tell me who you are, and I certainly can't blame you for that. But I was wondering if… if you were…well…"

"Shh!" Missy cut him off sharply, laying a finger on his lips. "Not here. Daleks!" she screeched, holding up a hand. Instantly, all the Daleks ground to a halt. "Take our _guests_ up to the control room. I'll bring the Doctor along later." She flashed them all a winning smile. "Off you pop."

Instantly, cries of protest rose from the Doctor's companions. Most adamant was River. "You're taking him nowhere without me," she said firmly. Mystery cleared her throat. "Without us," she amended. "Together or not at all."

"Oh, how precious." Missy said, her voice sickeningly-sweet. She snapped her fingers, and seconds later, River was confronted with nearly a dozen Dalek guns pointed right at her. Missy wandered over, ducking between two Daleks. Instinctively, River went for her gun, only to remember it had been incinerated.

"Oh, I really wouldn't do that," Missy warned her, patting her cheek. "See, my friends here are very loyal, and I'm sure they wouldn't hesitate to… Oh, what's the word?"

"EXTERMINATE!" the Daleks blared in unison. Missy smiled.

"Yes." She looked thoroughly pleased with herself. "That. Now." Her face hardened. "Get going."

River, Mystery, and Jack stood very still, while the Doctor looked on helplessly. The Daleks moved in closer, herding them down the hall and out of sight. Once they were gone, Missy turned to the Doctor.

"Now then," she said with a bright smile. "What was it you wanted to know? Oh, I know," she continued, without giving the Doctor a chance to answer. "You wanted to know if I was a Time Lord. If you really are the last and only of your kind. Is that right?"

Wordlessly, the Doctor nodded. Missy looked him right in the eyes and reached for his hand. Carefully, she guided it up and laid it gently on her chest.

"Is that enough of an answer?" she asked softly.

"Two heartbeats," the Doctor answered, just as softly. "Two hearts. You are, aren't you?" He smiled, a smile of pure delight. "You are a Time Lord!"

"Oh, please, dear," she moaned, rolling her eyes. "Time _Lady._ I'm old-fashioned. Do you see why I didn't want to say it in front of the Daleks?"

"But surely they've figured it out?" the Doctor asked. "They have scans and things, don't they?"

"Well, yes," Missy admitted, "but there's no good drawing attention to the fact, is there? Ah ah, patience," she admonished him as he opened his mouth to ask a further question. "I hate explaining myself over again, and it'll be so much better with an audience." She grabbed his arm and pulled him merrily along the corridor, a skip in her step.

* * *

River, Mystery, and Jack walked silently between the Daleks, turning corner after corner, single-file. Mystery couldn't see Jack, who was behind her, but River stood straight and proud, a queen in captivity. Mystery knew, though, that the older woman was worried about her husband, just as Mystery herself was.

"Where are you taking us?" she asked, and was proud to hear her voice didn't tremble at all.

"YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO CENTRAL COMMAND," the Dalek at the head of the procession blared. "YOU WILL WAIT FOR THE MISTRESS THERE. KEEP SILENT."

Mystery glanced over her shoulder at Jack, who shrugged slightly and smiled encouragingly. _What can you do?_ his expression seemed to say. Mystery half-smiled in return and went back to following River.

After what seemed like an age, they were ushered into a small room positively covered in various control panels and screens, all dark. The lead Dalek instructed them to wait, then the door slid shut behind them. Jack instantly tried to get it open, but without a handle, he had very little success.

"Damn it," he muttered, slumping against the door and crossing his arms. "Well, it can only get better from here, right?"

"We need to get out," River said briskly, striding over to the powerless controls. "If we can get power going to this, we should have control of the entire base." She started tapping keys, but to no effect. Jack walked over to look over her shoulder.

"You've got to get to the source," Jack told her, getting down on the floor to shimmy under the desk-like panels. "It's always in the cords, never the buttons."

River continued to type, almost as if she hadn't heard him. Mystery watched her carefully, leaning against the wall by the door. She didn't know much about computers, and sensed her help wouldn't be much welcome.

"You're worried about him, aren't you?" she asked River. For a second, the older woman stiffened, but a moment later, no one could guess a thing had happened.

"He can take care of himself," she replied. "If I worried about him every time he was in danger, I'd have died of stress by now."

"But you're still worried about him," Mystery pressed, knowing she was going into dangerous territory. "You're his wife, it's only natural for you to-"

River slammed a fist down on the controls. "Yes, of course I'm worried," she said tightly. "I worry every second of every day that one day I'll run into him and he won't know me, that one day I'll have to watch him die, that he'll have to watch me die, and that we won't be able to think about it. The thing about loving an immortal," she said, turning to face Mystery at last, "is that no matter how long you live, they will stay young, and alive, and you won't." She smiled wryly. "It's an age-old problem, and there isn't any solution."

River paused to take a deep breath, and Mystery found that she needed to breathe as well. Somehow she had never considered River's position, and the cold reality of it hit her like a sledgehammer.

"There's nothing you can do?" she asked. River shrugged softly.

"The longer I live, the more we see each other," she said simply. "But everything has to come to an end, and every time I wonder if this is it. Sometimes I think if I could live forever, I could stay with him. But even he changes," she added with a half-smile, "and I can't."

"So if someone offered you the chance to live forever," Mystery asked carefully, "would you take it?"

"In a heartbeat," River answered immediately. "Any moment with him is worth it."

"No," Jack said suddenly, emerging from below the controls, tangled in wires. "No, you wouldn't. Trust me," he said wryly, "it's not what it's cracked up to be. Take it from someone who knows - nothing is worth it. Watching your friends and family die, watching everything you love slip away…" He shook his head. "Don't do that to yourself. Nothing is worth that."

"He is," River said insistently. "The Doctor is always worth it. Every time, no matter what. As long as he comes back, it's enough."

Mystery looked at River, fiercely defending her love, and slipped a hand into her pocket. Her fingers met the simple ring, and she clutched it tightly. To be in love like that… How could you know what a bond could stand until it had been tested?

"None of it matters," River said brusquely, turning back to the controls. "Me worrying won't change a thing, and unless you've forgotten, we're currently on an asteroid teeming with Daleks, with no Doctor in sight, in the clutches of a psychopath."

"Who, me?"

All three looked over to the door to see Missy leaning on the doorframe, twirling her umbrella. The Doctor stood behind her, eyes full of relief at seeing them unharmed.

"Yes," River said shortly. "You."

"Well," Missy commented to the Doctor, "she's certainly got me pegged. Now then," she added, stepping lightly into the room. "You've all been so patient, waiting here for me. I expect you're all ready to hear the grand plan?"

All four, a captive audience, nodded. Missy beamed, spreading her arms wide. "Then let's begin."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello! I'm very very glad to be back. The week away was wonderful, but I did miss Mystery while I was away. For those of you who were asking as to how the Christmas special plays into River... cheers. With more to come, of course. You all know me. I promise, the plan shall be revealed in the next chapter. I've been sitting on it for a very long time, and I'm terribly proud and pleased to be able to unveil it at last.**

 **I've recently added quite a bit to my profile, if y'all are interested. And a little more to my Fanfiction for Dummies writing guide, which I highly recommend if you haven't looked at it already. Also I'd love to get some feedback on that someday, if you wouldn't mind.**

 **Thank you, my dears, for reading and putting up with me. I actually got a decent amount of interest while I was away, which is always very rewarding, so thank you. I'm very emotional at the moment (always listen to sad music while writing) and somehow, I find I have little to say today, so I shall just thank you again. Your input is very precious to me.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	13. Just A Moment

"It started with the Daleks," Missy said as the doors slid shut behind her. "See, I saved the poor dears. We were on Skaro, the Doctor and I. He left me to die." She glanced over her shoulder, flashing the Doctor a sorrowful expression. "Wouldn't be the first time, I'm afraid. But no matter."

"Skaro?" the Doctor asked, puzzled. "I've haven't been to Skaro in ages, and I definitely didn't see you there."

"Oh, didn't I mention?" she asked innocently. "It was you from the _future."_ She winked. "Nice to know you have so much to look forward to, isn't it? But _anyway,_ I had a very clever idea."

She paused dramatically. No one said a thing. "Well, go on," she demanded. "Ask me what I thought of."

Jack sighed. "What did you think of?" he asked, trying to shed the tangle of wires he was trapped in.

Missy beamed at him. "There, see? That wasn't too difficult. Maybe I'll have to keep you around. On a leash, perhaps." She bent down and caught one of the wires between two thin fingers. "Then again, you seem to have done it yourself. So very considerate." Jack frowned, perhaps regretting his decision to answer, and renewed his effort to get free. Mystery went to help him, fighting back a smile.

"So these Daleks had me cornered," Missy explained, going on with her story. "And they were going to kill me of course. That's what they do. But I had this idea, see? One perfect moment, and it all fell together. I knew right away what I had to do. So I made them a deal. They let me live, get me off that planet, and help me find and maintain a base. They gave me all the technology to find you. I improved it, of course," she added smugly. "In return, I give them a prize."

"A prize?" the Doctor inquired, curious again. "Daleks don't negotiate, they don't make deals. What could you give them that would make them serve you so willingly? It'd have to be something extraordinary, something they want more than anything, something...Oh."

Missy beamed, and suddenly Mystery knew with a certainty what was coming. "You," Missy said simply. "I promised to deliver their greatest enemy to them on a silver platter." She shrugged. "I would have done more, but Time Lords are notoriously difficult to gift-wrap."

"I told you it was a trap," River told the Doctor immediately.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "So let me get this straight," he said. "You bring him here just to serve him up so they would help you? I thought you said you were friends?"

"Oh, we are!" Missy assured him, smiling fondly at the bemused Doctor. "I was confident he could deal with a couple of Daleks. You should see what he did to their planet!"

"What did I do to their planet?" the Doctor asked. "I haven't done anything yet, you know."

"Ah, that would be telling," Missy said playfully. "Really, I'm paying you a compliment."

The Doctor shook his head. "That kind of flattery I can do without," he told her. "Take note."

"You know, Doctor," Jack put in, "I'm all for flirting, but now is maybe not the moment? We've got a plan to hear, after all."

"Yes, yes, keep your suspenders on," the Time Lady said irritably. She snapped her fingers and the screens came to life, much to River and Jack's disgust. They showed a graphic version of what was happening in the sky outside- hundreds and hundreds of yellow, glowing stars, surrounded by planets of every color. Missy stood in front of the image like a teacher lecturing a class. "So what do you see?"

"Stars," Jack said. "All the stars that shouldn't be there."

"Black holes in progress," Mystery added.

"Very good," Missy said smoothly. "Oh, that's clever, very clever, that's awfully clever. And what do we know about black holes? And talk so people can understand, science lady," she instructed Mystery, who smiled in spite of herself. "None of that fancy jargon."

"They're formed when a dying star collapses in on itself," she explained, trying to be succinct. "The force of gravity is so strong that it pulls everything into it, even light. Some say even time is pulled in, but," she shrugged. "We've never been able to prove it."

"Good, good. Very sciency." Missy did not look terribly impressed. "But what else do you _know?"_

The four exchanged glances, confused. "She basically said it," Jack said. "Unless you want a more detailed description-"

"No, no, no." Missy waved a hand in front of his face. "Forget the science for a moment. Think about your literature, your movies and things. _What do you know?_ "

"Now that's hardly fair," the Doctor muttered, but River elbowed him into silence. She was watching the screen intently, determined to figure out what was happening without playing Missy's game.

"Well, in movies, they say black holes are portals," Jack ventured. "To other dimensions or something. We used to get together on our days off and make fun of those dumb science fiction things," he explained at the others' looks. "Owen always wondered if that could be true, but I'm not interested in being the one to find out," he finished with a grin.

River cast a disparaging glance at Missy. "You're not saying you believe that?"

"Oh, I'll believe anything, me," Missy said easily. "If only for a moment." Her eyes flashed. "Especially when it's true."

"Don't be absurd," Mystery said, all her years of study rebelling against this. "Why would you even consider such a thing?"

"Because you humans did," she replied. "Don't you see? Ever since you discovered them, you've all been just fascinated by the things, and people started thinking they were magic and whatnot right from the start."

"So what?" Jack asked. "They're just stories. I hate to break it to you, but humans are really, really good at making things up."

"Actually," the Doctor said suddenly, "she's got a point. Think about it," he added as his companions gave him astonished looks. "Humanity is one of the newer, less developed races," he explained. "By now, there's been enough other species that've come in contact with you, whether intentionally or accidentally, it happens."

"Don't I know it," Jack muttered. Mystery grinned, remembering that the purpose of Torchwood was to deal with such unwanted guests.

"Do you really think by now any of your ideas are entirely fiction?" the Doctor persisted. "Especially where space is concerned. There is nothing new under the sun, or any sun, for that matter. Why do so many of you believe in alien life? Did you create the idea yourself? Of course not. So really," he concluded with a nod to Missy, "I suppose it's not too hard to believe."

"Compared with a man with two hearts who changes his face and flies around in a police box?" Mystery laughed. "I'd say it's downright logical." The Doctor's endorsement was good enough for her. It felt very strange to have to retrain her brain to accept the impossible, rather than only the scientifically provable, as she had for the previous ten years. However, she would freely admit that she relished the freedom it gave.

"Alright," River said, clearly still skeptical. "Suppose it is true. How would you ever get through without being crushed? How could you possibly test it? And what's more, why does it matter? Surely this is all hypothetical, and those never get you very far."

"Oh, you'll be testing it, if you're willing," Missy answered simply. "Or if you're not, I have ways to convince you."

"I think we both know that I won't be doing a thing for you unless I choose to," the Doctor told her. His expression was pleasant, but his voice was dangerously soft. Mystery recognized his tone, and it was obvious Missy did as well.

"Oh, I think you'll choose to," she replied with a playful smile. "Come and see." She directed their attention to the screens behind her. "I assume you've largely figured out what's happening? Very soon, each of these will be a black hole. Hundreds of thousands of them, almost stacked on top of each other. Should be a fascinating study for you," she added to Mystery.

River stepped forward to the controls, ignoring Missy's squawk of protest. She tapped in a few commands and the slowly-revolving stars seemed to fast-forward, growing into supernovas and then shrinking until they collapsed. Mystery watched in fascinated horror as every planet on the screen was sucked into the nearest black holes. In mere seconds, the entire screen was black.

"My God," Jack whispered, awed. "Now that's impressive."

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Missy mused, pondering the screen. "Stars collapsing. Planets burning and being destroyed as we speak. In just a moment, all life will have plucked from this universe." She winked at the Doctor, who watched the display in tight-lipped silence. "Shall we do it again?"

"How are you doing this?" River demanded. "The amount of power this is taking is enormous. There's no possible way you could have a generator or something on such a small base."

"Ah, nothing's ever impossible, my dear," Missy admonished her. "Hasn't your precious Doctor taught you that yet?"

River's face hardened, and the Doctor laid a hand on her shoulder, though whether to comfort her or restrain her, Mystery couldn't say.

"In fact," Missy continued, dancing towards the door, "I do have my _power source_ on board. I always keep it close to my heart, unlike some people. Would you like to see?" Without waiting for an answer, she stuck her head out the door. "Bring 'er in, boys!" she screeched.

Mystery saw the Doctor and River trade an inscrutable glance, clearly uneasy. Jack, perhaps unconsciously, widened his stance, as if for a fight. Mystery herself, however, was curiously unafraid. Somehow, she sensed that however powerful Missy's tool might be, it was only a tool, and no more threat than Missy herself, _Although,_ she reflected, _that wasn't terribly reassuring._

Moments later, two Daleks came in, escorting a floating platform. On this platform was a boxlike object, covered by a cloth. Once the platform settled with hardly a bump on the floor, forcing the room's inhabitants to press against the walls to make room for it, the Daleks backed away silently.

"Perfect," Missy purred, running a hand along the top of the covered object. "Doesn't look like much, does it?" she asked. "But looks can be deceiving, as you humans are so fond of saying."

"Loves a bit of drama, doesn't she?" Mystery whispered to the Doctor, who nodded.

"Most Time Lords do," he told her.

"I'd never have guessed," she answered solemnly, and smiled at his wink.

Missy reached for the cloth, then paused. "Oh, and please feel free to scream, cry, faint, or whatever it is you people do when you're impressed and overwhelmed. I'll have a good laugh about it later." With that, she snatched the cloth cover away, revealing… a box.

It was a rather intricately designed box, to be sure. Each side of the cube was engraved with gear-like designs, and a few sides appeared to have gears set into them. All the same, Jack and River were decidedly underwhelmed.

"That's it?" Jack asked. "I don't see how that could generate any power, let alone this much-"

"Jack," River said urgently, cutting him off. She was looking at her husband, who had gone completely pale.

"Where… How did you get that?" he gasped, stepping forward onto the platform and running a hand along the little box. "I thought… I had this in the TARDIS!"

"Yes," Missy said smugly, "you did. I nicked it when you weren't looking," she explained. "See, you were so busy on your little adventure at the Shadow Proclamation that you left the door open. Easy enough for someone like me to sneak in and nab it. Something like that and you leave it in some dusty old storage room?" She shrugged slightly. "It was practically a gift."

"Doctor, what is it?" River demanded. "What is that thing?"

"It's the Moment," he answered, his voice so low as to almost be a whisper. "The most powerful weapon in the universe. The Time Lords created it, during the Time War. We called it the Galaxy Eater."

"And it's capable of doing all of that?" Jack asked skeptically, gesturing to the screen behind him.

"Oh, easily," the Doctor replied, still staring ashen-faced at the box before him. "That and more, if you know how to use it. You said you stole it at the Shadow Proclamation?" he asked Missy, who nodded. "Hmm… Mystery, did you-"

He stopped, frozen by the look on her face. "Mystery?" he asked cautiously. "What's the matter?"

For Mystery's attention was captured not by the box, but by the blonde woman dressed in rags sitting casually on top of it, the blonde woman no one else could seem to see. The blonde woman who had been watching her from the second the platform entered the room. She gave a little wave and smiled.

"Hello, Mystery," the Moment said sweetly. Her eyes flashed gold. "Did you miss me?"

* * *

 **A.N: Hello again, friends. Class remains rather dull, so expect a lot of writing for the next few weeks. I don't think any of you will mind too terribly much. Also, this is one of the longer chapters I've written in quite some time, which is nice. I like a little variety. I know I haven't quite fully laid out the plan, but perhaps you can guess it? The clues are all there, I believe, if you know what you're looking for. And if not, well, they're still there (it's called foreshadowing, kids).**

 **Also, if you're in the mood to look for things, I have hidden three (count them) Moriarty quotes in this chapter, all spoken by different characters. If you don't watch Sherlock, you should because you are missing out. I've had Moriarty on the brain ever since seeing the special (if you've seen it you'll know why, I think) and it's bleeding into my writing rather a lot. So if you're feeling clever, feel free to go hunting, and let me know if you find them.**

 **I feel as though I had something more I was planning to say, but it escapes me at the moment, so I'll just say thank you again for your reviews and simply for reading, as I know it does take up a chunk of time. I really do appreciate every view I get, and I know I owe that all to you.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**

 **P.S: I am now on tumblr, which is mildly intimidating, but if you care to follow me, my username is justalittlebitunlikely :) I probably won't post much stuff til I get it all figured out, but hey. If you're interested :)**


	14. Gallifrey is Found

"Hello again," Mystery replied, relatively proud of how calm her voice sounded. "It's been a long time."

"Has it?" the Moment asked, inspecting one jet-black nail. "Feels like only moments ago to me." She winked. "But I do lose track. How long is long?"

"Oh, about ten years," Mystery told her. "I imagine that wouldn't be much at all to you."

"Not a bit," Bad Wolf informed her. "Not even a breath in the lifespan of a universe."

"Perhaps not," answered Mystery coolly, "but for a human, ten years is a great deal. A lot can happen in ten years."

"I won't dispute that." The Moment eyed her closely, and Mystery got the uncomfortable feeling that the last decade of her life was being closely examined. "Like your engagement?"

"Mystery?"

Mystery shook herself a bit, realizing as if from a distance that the Doctor was trying to catch her attention. "Yes, sorry, I'm here, I'm fine," she said quickly, swallowing the sudden surge of guilt that threatened to choke her.

"Who are you talking to?" he asked, glancing askance at the simple box sitting on the platform. Mystery glared at the Moment, who shrugged slightly, smiling fondly at the Time Lord.

"Hello, Doctor," she said softly, then waved a hand. Instantly, the Doctor went totally still. Looking around, Mystery could see that every other person in the room, even Missy, was completely frozen. Frowning, Mystery laid two fingers on her wrist, then glared accusingly at the Moment.

"Did you just stop time?"

"Temporarily, yes." Bad Wolf sighed, looking vaguely bored. "I hate having conversations be interrupted," she explained. "They'll never know."

"Suppose I tell them?" Mystery said archly, raising an eyebrow.

The Moment laughed. "You won't," she answered easily. "Because then you'd have to explain why you weren't panicking, and then you'd have to tell all about our last meeting… what you learned. The beautiful and terrible thing about deception," she added, "is that it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and you just can't stop. And the longer you wait, the harder it gets."

Mystery flushed angrily. She was caught and she knew it. "Why me?" she asked petulantly, knowing she sounded like a child. "Why am I always the only one who can see you? Who can hear you?"

"Because it's always you," the Moment told her seriously. "Haven't you noticed? Whenever you're with the Doctor, everything that happens to him, and anyone with him, happens because of you. Did you think that was typical? You're the key, Mystery, the center, the crux of every adventure, and I can promise you this one will be no different."

"Yes, but why? What's so special about me? I mean, yes, I know, I'm a unique creation and all that," she said quickly, frustrated, "but the Doctor's run into all sorts of oddities over the years. That can't be what separates me. So what is it?"

Bad Wolf smiled, eyes glowing gold. "Nothing," she said simply.

Mystery stared. "Nothing?" she repeated, disbelieving. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am. The conscience of the most powerful weapon in the world can't afford to make jokes, not when there's no much at stake. And there is a tremendous amount at stake," the Moment added. "Uncountable lives hang in the balance."

"Don't they always?" Mystery muttered, turning her back on the Moment and sitting on the edge of the platform.

"Where you are concerned, yes," the Moment answered. When Mystery glanced up, the mysterious blonde woman was curled comfortably in one of the swivel chairs set up near the controls, watching her closely.

"Alright, alright, back up." Mystery shook her head to clear it. "You said that nothing makes me any different from anyone else."

"Not in general, no," Bad Wolf answered. "Of course, if you'd like to get into specifics…"

"No, that's alright," said Mystery hastily. "But if there's no differential, why am I so bloody important?"

"Because what you've done and what you mean," Bad Wolf answered enigmatically. "Missy did what she did to you because she'd already seen what you would do. You did what you did and became who you are because she forced it on you. She chose you because you are important, and you are important because she chose you."

Mystery sat back, trying to wrap her mind around that. "So there actually is nothing?"

"Not a thing. Don't misunderstand," the Moment added, "I'm not saying you aren't a remarkable young woman. Because you are, you know. Certainly not everyone could bear what you have borne and emerge with their sanity intact. You are a true victim of circumstance, and I wouldn't have you think of it any other way." She smiled slightly. "I know how easily egos can bruise."

"Be careful," Mystery said, allowing a hint of bitterness to creep into her voice. "People might start to think you care."

"What people?" the Moment asked, spreading her arms wide. "It's only you and I in the universe."

Mystery sighed. "Did you have something real to say?" she asked wearily. "Or just more riddles? I'm really not in the mood."

Bad Wolf shrugged. "Suit yourself." She waved her hand lazily and disappeared. Suddenly everything started back to life.

"Mystery?" the Doctor asked again. "Who's talking to you?"

"And how did you get on the floor?" Jack asked, somewhat suspiciously. Mystery realized with a start that they had seen her standing up only seconds ago and hurriedly got to her feet.

"It's nothing," she said hastily. "Just… I recognized that box, and, well…" She paused, hating herself for lying and hating the Moment for being right. "Really, it's nothing. Don't worry about me," she finished lamely. The Doctor gave her a long, lingering look, but said nothing more.

Mystery shifted uncomfortably, conscious of the confusion and suspicion radiating off both River and Jack. She turned away from their gazes in time to see the Doctor striding over to Missy.

"So I assume you're using the Moment to do all of that?" he asked, gesturing to the screen. Missy nodded smugly.

"Incredible, isn't it?" she said, almost fondly. "So much power, in such a tiny little thing."

"But I thought it had a conscience," Mystery said carefully. "To make certain you're sure of what you're doing?"

"So I've heard," Missy answered lightly. "If so, I never saw it. Perhaps it knew my mind couldn't possibly be changed." She smiled triumphantly. "Or perhaps it agreed with me."

Mystery thought back suddenly to her first meeting with the Moment. _"You're a conscience,"_ she had said. _"The best guard in the universe, so only the most convinced people can use it."_

 _"Or the maddest."_ the mysterious woman had replied. The answer still gave her chills. She glanced up, right into the Moment's stare. "And which do you think she is?" she asked softly from her perch on the platform, her golden eyes boring into Mystery's.

Mystery looked at Missy, so proud of the destruction she was wreaking, then at the Doctor, adamant that this would not go on. "Both," she whispered.

"Agreed?" the Doctor repeated incredulously. "You think that the most powerful machine in the entire universe, a weapon _built by our people,_ would _agree_ with you? You're destroying thousands of planets and millions of lives, we never condoned that!"

" _Our_ people?" Mystery heard Jack whisper to River. "Is she a Time Lord too, then?"

"It would explain all the 'you humans' business she's been going on about," was River's murmured reply.

"Is it really so hard to believe?" Missy asked, arching one thin brow. "I'll remind you that these are the same people who waged a war across time and space. They probably destroyed just as many planets themselves. You really think they'd let a little thing like that stop them?"

"But the Moment… The conscience… How…" The Doctor trailed off, at a loss for words.

"I do what is right for my people," Missy informed him. "Just like the High Council did all those years ago. Just as _you_ did, Doctor. Surely that's a cause even you can get behind."

"A weapon guarded by its own conscience. The perfect safeguard," River said softly from behind him. "Except they forgot one thing, those Time Lord creators." The stare she laid on Missy was cold and heavy. "It can't appeal to someone if they haven't got a conscience themselves."

Mystery, however, was looking at the Moment. "How could you?" she whispered. "All those planets, don't they mean anything to you?"

The Moment shrugged slightly. "Should they?" she asked. "I was created to serve the Time Lords. Their interests are mine. I judge this to be for their greater good. If it doesn't bother her at all," she added, nodding to Missy, "should it bother me?"

The Doctor threw up his hands and turned away. "Get to the point," he said softly, dangerously. "I assume there is some point to all of this, and you haven't just brought me here to torment me?"

"Oh, poor lad." Missy patted his cheek. "Of course there's a point, there's always a point. I already told you, remember? Haven't you worked it out yet? Haven't you guessed?" She leaned in close, placing her bright red lips right next to his ear. "I'm going to use the Moment to pull every planet in the sky through a black hole into another universe," she murmured. "And eventually, Gallifrey will be the only one left."

"No," the Doctor said softly, "no, you can't, it can't-" He sounded almost… helpless.

She smiled, her mouth a razor slash of triumph. "What do you say, Doctor?" she breathed. "Gallifrey is found."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello again, loves! Back again with yet another chapter for you. The climax is drawing ever closer, and I'm enjoying myself tremendously. Honestly, I think the Moment is my favorite character to write. She really should be in more things, I think. She's just delightful. The whole cast of this story, really, is an absolute joy. I shall miss them when this is over. Although it would be nice to write for another Doctor. I haven't done that in ages.**

 **Thank you all ever so much for reviewing, as ever. I am very pleased to announce that this story has just reached 1k views, which is exciting. Also, Mystery Girl has hit the 15k milestone, which is insane. Thank you all, my dears.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	15. Delta

"This is insane," Jack said derisively. "You realize you're going to have to be on the other side somehow to check out those planets, right? You want to go plunging through a black hole?"

"Yes," Missy answered patiently. "I know it will work. I've seen it. I've already got readings from the first planet I sent through. See?"

She went to the controls, tapping in a few commands until the screens were filled with graphs and charts of all kinds. They didn't mean much to Mystery, but the Doctor seemed to understand.

"Why, yes you have," the Doctor murmured, slipping on his round spectacles and peering closely at the screen. "What planet is this?"

"Skaro, of course," Missy answered. "I wanted one I could risk in good conscience. They did try to kill me when I was there, you know."

"So you keep saying." The Doctor took over the controls, bringing up first this chart, then that.

"And your little Dalek friends weren't upset about that?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe. I would be, if I were them."

Missy snorted. "Oh, they would be, I'm sure." She smiled sweetly. "If they knew."

"You didn't tell them," River said slowly, then shook her head. "Of course you didn't. It only makes sense. I wouldn't have either."

The Doctor glanced at her. but said nothing, instead returning his attention to the screen. Missy stepped to his side and he surrendered the keyboard.

"Look, Doctor," she said, pulling up a three-dimensional map of a planet clearly labeled 'Skaro', covered in blinking lights. "The life signs for the Daleks. Thousands of the bloody things, all alive and well. I hope you're pleased."

"She's right, Doctor," Mystery said, pointing at the screen. "See? It's still at full population."

"Well, of course it is," the Doctor said, somewhat irritably. "Daleks don't die."

"I'm sorry, what?" Jack asked disbelievingly. "Doctor, I've killed my share of Daleks. I know they can die."

"Oh, they can, yes," the Time Lord explained, "if you shoot them or blow them up or whatever it is you gun people do, then they die, yes. So would I."

"Don't you dare," River said warningly. The Doctor smiled up at her, tapping her lightly on the nose and drawing a reluctant smile from her.

"I'm not planning on it," he answered. "But anyway, Daleks can die if they're killed, but they can't die of old age. It's not in their genetics. It's actually impossible."

"That sounds familiar," Jack muttered. Mystery looked at him, then looked away, remembering their earlier conversation.

The Doctor glanced at the captain as well, but went on. "They do age, though. It's sort of horrible, really. Their bodies start to break down and they turn into a sort of sludge, forced to keep living while they're decaying."

"They keep them in sewers, below the city," Missy put in. "Trust me, I know. It isn't pretty. In fact," she added, "the Dalek word for 'sewer' is the same as their word for 'graveyard'." She winked. "Lovely, isn't it?"

" _The point is,"_ said the Doctor emphatically, trying to draw their attention back, "the Daleks can't die. So this proves nothing."

"Really, Doctor," River said, "I think being crushed by a black hole would kill even a Dalek, no matter how genetically hard-wired they are."

"So it proves they survived, at least," Mystery added. "It proves they made it through."

"And in one piece, too," Jack put in. "Not bad, not bad at all." He clapped Missy on the shoulder. She gave him a withering stare and he quickly backed off.

"No, you're missing it," the Doctor said, frustrated. "So they make it through the black hole, that's wonderful, good for them. But it still doesn't matter, see? Suppose you send in the Earth-"

"It's on my list," Missy promised. Jack and Mystery glared at her. The Doctor ignored them.

"Suppose you do," he went on. "Even if they do survive the journey, the destination won't be any better. Think about it," he said at the other's blank looks. "All of you, come on. We're dealing with an entire universe, here. Different that this one, of course, but we have no idea how different, and no way of knowing."

"But you've dealt with parallel universes before, haven't you?" Jack objected. "You did say Rose was trapped in one, and she still could come through. She settled in just fine, didn't she?"

The Doctor's face darkened for a moment, but only a moment. "Yes," he said lightly, "but that was dealing with only one person, a few at most. And we knew she didn't exist in that universe. This time, though, we're sending through an entire planet, with thousands of living things."

"So there might already be a Skaro in the sky somewhere," Mystery said excitedly. "Maybe even right where the second one is now!"

"Well, not quite," River corrected her. "We know there's not, because the planet is intact. Try to put two planets in exactly the same place and you're going to have one hell of an explosion. But it is possible that it might be somewhere else, or might not exist at all." She shrugged and looked at the Doctor with a hint of a smile. "We won't know until we look."

"No," he told her firmly. "Not a chance. Besides, goodness knows what sort of an effect this will have had over there. It's like throwing a boulder into a lake and expecting there not to be any ripples."

"Ripples?" Jack asked. "Like what? It shouldn't affect the past or anything. How much harm can it do?"

The Doctor shook his head. "You've been on one planet for too long, Jack," he told him.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's hardly my fault, now is it?"

With a sigh, the Doctor turned away, running his hands through his hair. "A planet as large as Skaro has an atmosphere and generates a gravitational pull," he explained. "Something like that is bound to pull on the things around it, maybe other planets, who knows? Sustaining life is a delicate balance, one that, if it's disrupted, can have cataclysmic effects." He turned to look at Missy. "And you've gone and dropped it in the middle of a galaxy somewhere."

"I did not," Missy retorted, affronted. The Doctor stared at her. "It's more off to the side, really," she explained.

"He's right," Mystery said slowly. "Even if the black hole doesn't get them _and_ they don't land on top of themselves, or some other planet, the changes in the atmosphere and distance from their sun will probably kill them all anyway."

" _Probably,"_ repeated Missy, with a tinge of frustration. "You don't know that, do you? Look at the Daleks! They're fine, see? They're alive."

"Well, of course they're alive," River told her irritably. "The Doctor just said they can't die. Even if their planet can't feasibly sustain life anymore, I'm willing to bet they'd go right on living."

"But hold on a minute," Jack said suddenly. "You keep saying he's got to go to Skaro someday, yes?"

"Just has, in my timeline," Missy responded. "I've no clue how long it'll be for him though. Years and years, I expect. But yes, he does."

"But if Skaro's in another universe," he went on, seeing growing comprehension in his friends' eyes, "and it burns up-"

"Then the Doctor can't go," Mystery breathed. "But you've already seen him go."

"You're creating a paradox," River finished. "Compromising his timeline just wasn't enough, was it?" she said derisively. "Now you've gone and fractured time apart."

"Can you feel it, Mystery?" a soft voice asked. Mystery glanced over her shoulder and saw the Moment leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "Can you feel it splintering?" Mystery looked determinedly away, but she had to admit she could. Something felt wrong, and the feeling was growing.

"All the more reason to bring the Time Lords back," Missy answered pertly, seemingly oblivious to the Moment's presence.

"Don't you see what you're doing?" the Doctor asked Missy, stepping up to look her right in the eyes. "You're condemning every planet in the sky to death. Thousands of millions of lives, gone in an instant, not just in this universe, but the next as well." Missy returned his fury with a level stare. "Not to mention," he went on, stepping back and pacing a tight circle, "black holes aren't exactly the most reliable things, and now with time falling apart, who knows how many more worlds will be destroyed, eh? I hope you're happy," he added, stopping in front of the impassive Time Lady. "I hope you're proud of what you've done."

"Help me," she said simply, her eyes never leaving his. The Doctor froze, recoiling a bit.

"What did you say?" The others watched silently, afraid to interfere in the unfolding scene.

"I said, help me," she repeated, smiling slightly. "This could be so much easier if you'd come along. Use your TARDIS. So many lives saved, so many planets protected. And then, the jewel in the crown," she murmured. "Landing on Gallifrey, greeted as the hero who brought them back, once and for all."

"Gallifrey is hidden," the Doctor told her, but he didn't sound sure.

"Is it?" Missy asked. "In this universe, maybe, although think of the scans you could do with the harnessed power of a black hole at your side. And who knows?" she added. "Maybe there's another universe where it's already been found. Time falling apart? Who knows what else could slip through. The possibilities, Doctor," she leaned in close, "are endless."

Once again, Mystery felt the gaze of the Moment. She looked up, meeting the Moment's gaze from across the room. "Time is falling apart," the blonde woman repeated, "and you are at the heart of it. You are the eye of the storm. What will you do?"

"The last time that time fell apart, the first thing to come through was the Black Death," Jack said. "Forgive me for not wanting to repeat the experience."

"You're hesitating," Missy said, eyeing the Doctor carefully. "Perhaps just a bit more motivation?" She stepped over and rapped on the door. It slid open instantly, revealing the TARDIS - and nearly a dozen Daleks. "Daleks," she commanded, "when I tell you to…" She paused, watching the Doctor carefully. "Shoot Professor Song."

"No," the Doctor cried instantly, starting forward, but at his first movement the Dalek guns swiveled to point at his wife. River herself remained impassive, but her eyes widened.

Mystery sidled over to Jack, unnoticed by the Daleks. She grabbed his hand and clutched it tightly. He returned her grip as they watched, helpless.

"Doctor," River said, her voice soft but firm, "you can't be complicit in this. You know what helping this would mean, what bringing back your people would mean."

"I have to," he answered, just as softly. "You know I have to. I can't lose you."

But River was shaking her head. "You already have," she told him. "We're always losing each other, every time we part, with no idea whether we'll see each other again."

"Nothing, not one living thing is worth you," the Doctor told her. "Never."

She smiled slightly, wryly. "You would suffer more than any living thing in the universe?" Something in her tone made Mystery wonder if she was quoting something. The Doctor said nothing.

River nodded, then drew in a ragged breath. "It's alright, Doctor, it is, I swear. Somehow, you'll sort this out, you always do. But you can't win all the time."

"I know," he whispered. They fell silent, eyes locked together. Mystery could tell they were having some sort of silent argument. At last, the Doctor broke away, turning to face Missy.

"So," she asked with a delighted grin. "What'll it be?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "No," he said quietly.

Missy raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"No." He glanced at River, his eyes full of pain. "I'm sorry."

The Moment watched closely from across the room. She smiled sadly.

Missy shrugged, raising a hand in the air. "Suit yourself." Her hand dropped and the room exploded in blue light as each Dalek fired straight at the professor. She crumpled to the ground. The Doctor watched silently, unable to do a thing.

Mystery gasped, then buried her face in Jack's shoulder. She felt his arms wrap around her as she tried not to cry. "I know," he murmured. "I know."

"Now then," Missy asked brightly, stepping over River's prone form. "Your choice, Doctor. Help me…" She paused, her eyes flashing, then smiled. "Or choose who's next."

* * *

 **A.N: *creeps out of hole* *hopes not to get killed* Hello, friends. Please do not be angry with me. And do not despair. As some of you have already pointed out, I'm too true to canon to let something that major slide. Fear not, my friends. I would like to point out some parallels here with both The Husbands of River Song and The Wedding of River Song. If you caught those, that should break your feels nicely. Mine are a bit fractured, I must admit. Honestly, this was going to be a short chapter, but I guess not. Oh well. More for you lot. Expect another chapter soon, I've got a test tomorrow and will likely finish early. Honestly, I'm a little emotionally bruised, which I know is no one's fault but my own, so I'm just going to say thank you all ever so much for reading along, and, of course, for the wonderful reviews.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**

 **P.S: As some of you might have noticed, the chapter name got changed, largely because I thought of a better one in the car on the way home. I had a friend fix it for me, but didn't get a chance to explain. The reasoning behind the new name is this: Delta is a word with a few meanings. One, it is a Greek symbol used in mathematics to represent change, which I thought rather appropriate, and two, one finds a delta at the end of a river.**


	16. I've Got A Plan

Mystery looked around helplessly, taking in the scene. Several Dalek guns were pointed at her as she clung to Jack. She noticed he had subtly shifted around to cover as much of her body with his as he could, forming a human shield. River lay crumpled on the floor, unnaturally still and oddly vulnerable in death. The Doctor stood in the center of the room, staring at Missy, his face nearly expressionless, despite the many Daleks eager to exterminate him. And Missy… well, Missy looked to be having the time of her life.

But the one person that drew Mystery's attention the most was the Moment. The blonde woman was leaning on the wall, off to the side, watching Mystery intently.

"Do you see?" she said softly. "The trap is sprung, Mystery, and you are caught. All of you. Helpless, lost, and alone." She shivered. "Unpleasant, isn't it?" Her eyes flashed gold, and she leaned forward. "So what are you going to do?"

"Why do I have to do anything?" Mystery whispered. "What's to stop me from ending up like-" She glanced at River, then broke off, fighting back a wave of tears. Jack glanced down at her, perhaps wondering who she was talking to, but said nothing, merely pulled her closer.

"Oh, you don't _have_ to," the Moment said carelessly, twisting the ring on her finger. "No one ever _has_ to do anything. As long as you don't care what happens to you, you have complete power over yourself. No one can touch you. You can do anything, or nothing, as you choose."

She paused, looking closely at the frightened young woman across the room. "Unless, of course, your conscience tells you otherwise."

The Doctor walked slowly forward, heedless of the Daleks who began to shift about in excitement. Missy watched silently as he knelt at his fallen wife's side, brushing a few locks of curly hair out of her eyes. He swallowed hard and gently took one of her hands in his. As they watched, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them lightly, then closed his eyes, as if in prayer. Mystery wondered for a fleeting second who Time Lords prayed to.

Mystery glanced up at the Moment, who raised one eyebrow. "What is your conscience telling you, Mystery?" she asked. "Or haven't you got one?"

"Tell you what," Mystery said, untangling herself from Jack's arms and walking across the room. Jack let her go, but before he could ask any questions, the Moment blinked, and a stillness fell over the room. Mystery had a sneaking suspicion that time had stopped again.

Mystery stopped in front of the other woman, propping her hands on her hips. "I have got a conscience, thank you, and even if I didn't, I certainly wouldn't want you for the job."

Bad Wolf raised an eyebrow. "No?" she asked. "And why not?"

"Because," Mystery said, looking the other woman right in the eye, "I want one that cares about more than just the people who created her. One with actual empathy, actual feelings. And you, _Bad Wolf,_ are nothing more than just that: an animal, loyal to her master, without any real care for life in itself."

The Moment eyed her for a beat, then, to Mystery's surprise, smiled. "You are a brave one, aren't you?" she said lightly. "Insulting the most powerful weapon ever created? My, my. I'll admit it, that takes guts."

Mystery said nothing, merely waited, knowing something more would be forthcoming. There had to be.

"Yes," said the Moment at last. "Yes, you'll do."

"No," Mystery answered firmly. "No, I will not _do._ I'm done with just _doing._ I'm not going to be at your beck and call anymore, not you, not Missy, not anyone. Not if I can help it. I'm finished being a pawn."

"Do you have any idea how many people have said that over the years?" the Moment asked, her tone almost condescending. "And how many of them actually managed it?"

Mystery said nothing.

With a sigh, Bad Wolf sighed and stepped away. "You know, you remind me of someone," she told Mystery, as easily as if they were having coffee together in some shop. "Someone the Doctor knew very, very well, a very long time ago."

"Did you know her?" Mystery asked, curious in spite of herself. The Moment didn't reply, only smiled, a smile Mystery had no idea how to interpret.

"She was in a very similar situation," the Moment continued, pacing a small circle around the bemused Mystery. "Daleks everywhere, the coming of the end of the universe. And she was offered a choice: she could save everything she loved, or she could walk away."

"Alright," Mystery said carefully. "So what's the catch? There's always a catch."

"Mmm, clever." Bad Wolf stopped in front of her, cocking her head to one side. "She could save it all, but hurt the one she loved the most." Mystery caught a sudden image of a strangely familiar blonde woman with glowing golden eyes and pain in her face, collapsing into the arms of a strange man in a leather jacket. She blinked, and the image was gone, replaced by the Moment's watchful gaze. "And the same goes for you."

"Of course. That's always the way, isn't it?" Mystery turned away, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Everything I do, I end up hurting somebody. Anything important hurts somebody."

"Oh, but Mystery," the Moment said with a kind smile. "Without pain, how could we know joy?"

"Enough!" Mystery shouted, whirling around and pointing a shaking finger at the impassive blonde woman. "That is _rubbish_ and you know it. Or maybe you don't," she added, somewhat breathless, "because you're a soulless machine who only cares about the people who gave you life. If you can even call it that."

"Is that such a bad thing?" the Moment asked innocently. "Loyalty to one's planet, to the ones that adore and revere you, putting their interests first, their happiness first… But then perhaps you wouldn't understand that," she mused.

Mystery gritted her teeth. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice tight.

"Oh?" The Moment raised an eyebrow. "Forgotten him already?" Her eyes flared a brilliant gold, and Mystery felt something in her back pocket grow very hot. Plunging her hand inside the fabric, she pulled out her engagement ring, red-hot. She flung it away, sucking on her burned fingers, and glared at the Moment.

"Ah, ah," she tutted. "Tossing out the ring, how _very_ telling. Poor Evin," she said sorrowfully, shaking her head. "The fiance left behind. What will he say if you don't come back, hmm?"

"Stop it!" Mystery cried furiously. "Just stop it! You've been meddling in my life since the very beginning, and I've had enough. You've mucked about in my childhood, led me to a _literal torture chamber,_ and God knows what you'll do before you're finished. And that's alright," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving Bad Wolf's. "I don't think there's much I can do about it, not anymore. But I'll tell you one thing."

"And what's that?" The Moment crossed her arms, waiting. Slowly and deliberately, Mystery walked forward and picked up the ring off the floor. She held it up for the Moment to see, ignoring the lingering heat.

"You will not ruin things between me and Evin." Carefully, she slipped the ring back on her finger, comforted and strengthened by its familiar weight. "Because you're right," she said. "I did leave him behind. And I'm not sorry I did, because even if it brought me to this," she glanced around at the dramatic tableau surrounding them, "traveling with the Doctor is always worth it. But you know what the best part of traveling is?"

The Moment lifted her chin in question.

With a smile, Mystery leaned forward, holding up her left hand. "Having someone to come home to."

"And is his life, your home, more important than an entire planet?" the Moment inquired. "An entire species? The species of your precious Doctor?"

Mystery blinked. "It is to me," she said quietly, "but that's not what matters now."

"No?" The Moment cocked her head slightly. "What does?"

"All the other mes," she said. "The other people out there who love someone, someone who is now in danger, or will be soon, because of you."

"Because of me?" To Mystery's chagrin, the Moment laughed lightly. "Mystery, dear, I am the visual interface for a weapon, a tool created as a last resort. I have no say in how I am used, nor what I am used for."

"Oh, but that's not true, and you know it," Mystery said firmly, shaking her head. "You're a conscience, the most influential part of a person. Maybe you don't have any direct control, but if you really wanted something, if you really _believed_ in something, you would bloody well find a way to get it done. But you, don't, and why not? Because you don't care."

"It's not my job to care," the Moment said, sounding angry for the first time. "Not for them."

"It is, though," Mystery retorted. "It is _exactly_ your job. You're supposed to make people care about things when they don't. But no," she said sarcastically, flinging up her hands, "you've got the Time Lord superiority built right into your being, haven't you?"

"Time Lord superiority?" the Moment repeated incredulously, vaguely offended. "Now really-"

"Oh, don't pretend," she replied irritably. "The Doctor's told me all about it. Well, luckily for all those people out there, on the planets you're helping to destroy," Mystery said, rolling up her sleeves and smiling at the Moment, " _I've got a plan."_

"Have you?" The Moment smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Do tell. Go on, I do so hate suspense."

"You don't have a care for any species other than the ones that made you," Mystery said, her anger falling away. "And that's only natural, to prioritize your own kind. But see, my kind is _every_ kind, remember? I'm the unique creation, the amalgam of thousands of species, every one the Doctor's ever encountered - and that is a fair few. But even if I didn't have them in me, even if I didn't owe them any loyalty at all," she said, her voice quiet and intense, " _I would still care._ I would still do what I'm about to do."

"Which is?" Bad Wolf asked, as if trying not to look interested.

"This." Mystery held up her hand, which was wreathed in a glowing golden light. It shone off her ring. "Regeneration energy," she said with a smile, noting the Moment's apprehension. "I've remembered a few tricks since you and I last met."

"Regeneration energy," the Moment repeated. "And what are you planning to do with that, hmm?"

"Make you care," she explained. "You're created by the Time Lords, developed a conscience, I reckon nobody really knows how you work anymore. But if there's one thing I know Time Lords know how to do, it's live, and help others to live. You're already on your way," Mystery added. "Let's see if I can speed it along."

She reached for the blonde woman's hand, but the Moment pulled away. "That's your solution?" she asked. "Force your way in? Take control?"

Mystery looked around, her gaze lingering on the Doctor, still frozen, bowed over his fallen wife. "I haven't got a better one," she said quietly.

"How do you know it won't destroy me? Destroy _you_? The last person that tried to handle this much power…" Mystery clutched her head as a memory poured into her - billions of years of time and space, uncountable possible universes, all at once, clamoring to be heard inside her skull. In reality, it lasted only seconds, but it felt like eternity. When at last it was gone, she reeled, breathing hard.

"It was enough to drive her mad," the Moment finished simply, watching Mystery closely. "How can you be sure it won't do the same to you?"

"I can't," Mystery said simply. "There's always a price, right?" She shrugged. "I guess we'll see. But one way or another," she said, staring into the Moment's eyes, "I'm going to make this right. If I die, at least I won't be causing any more trouble. And if I live…" She glanced at the Doctor again, then lifted her chin. "Then none of this ever happened."

Bad Wolf looked at her for a moment, then nodded, holding out her hands. Slowly, Mystery reached forward, both hands glowing and dancing, and grasped the Moment's hands tightly. She closed her eyes, waiting for the explosion.

Dimly, the Doctor's voice rang out. "Mystery? Are you alright? What are you doing?" Somewhere, something in her recognized that the Moment's hold on time had fallen apart, that time itself was falling apart. "Mystery?"

But Mystery heard no more. White lights popped in her vision, blinding her until she saw nothing. Only darkness.

* * *

 **A.N: Dun dun dunnnnn. Hello, all. Sorry for the delay, I suffered from more writer's block on this one than I have in a long time. But it is here now. I honestly have no clue how I'm going to handle the next chapter, so it could be a while. In the meantime, of course, if you're desperate for something to read, I do have several other stories...**

 **Okay, shameless plug over. Anyway. I do hope what I'm trying to do here is clear. I've been thinking about it for such a very long time that I understand it intimately, but may or may not have communicated all of it to you. So I guess we'll see. Hopefully the next chapter will explain things. Anyway. It is late and I am tired, so I'll bid you all auf wiedersehen for now.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**

 **P.S: For my Torchwood watchers - Exit Wounds? So not okay. I was actually literally sobbing, and that hardly ever happens to me. So not okay. Not even a bit.**


	17. In the Moment

Mystery opened her eyes lazily. She wasn't at all sure where she was, but found to her mild surprise that she didn't much care. She was warm and comfortable, and not at all inclined to move.

Slowly, Mystery realized that she could see things - little points of light, darting around against a wall of gold. Looking around, she noticed that this golden background was not, in fact, a wall, but a sort of tapestry, a bubble of hundreds of strands of light, woven together. Some, she noticed, were still being woven, dozens of small strands coming together to make a larger one. Mystery had to catch her breath - it was beautiful.

She leaned closer, fixing her eyes on one of the lights, tracking its movements as it flitted around her. She wished, fleetingly, that it would just hold still so she could get a better look - and instantly, the point stopped dead.

"Alright," she said quietly, "that's a bit weird." Her focus slipped, and the little light moved on, zipping away. "No, hold on, come back!" she cried, and immediately the point reappeared, hovering before her.

"Okay, so they're controlled mentally," she murmured, reaching out a hand. "That's something." She stretched one finger out towards the floating point, wondering if it was warm, when-

"Ah, ah," the Moment chastised her. "Mustn't touch what isn't ours."

Mystery whirled around, the sudden movement sending her spinning. A hand with jet-black nails reached out and gripped her arm, steadying her. "Stay calm," the Moment said, carefully righting her. "You'll get used to it."

"What is this place?" she asked, staring around her. "Do you live here?"

"I suppose you could say that," Bad Wolf said. "It's as close as your mind can comprehend." Her eyes were constantly golden here, exactly matching the woven walls. "I exist in a bubble, outside of time and space. Everything exists in here, all at once." She pointed to one of the dancing bits of light, freezing it in place. "Right there." She smiled at it fondly, then let it go. "These are just my favorites."

"Your favorites…" Mystery looked around at the hundreds of lights, whizzing and dancing around her. "Favorite what? Memories?"

"Points in space." the Moment replied. "Although they're someone's memories, I suppose."

"Yes, I suppose they would be," Mystery said thoughtfully. Then, struck by a thought, she asked, "Are my memories in here?"

"Every second you've ever lived, and ever could live," Bad Wolf answered, spinning in a slow circle, her face full of joyous contentment. "Every possibility. All that is, all that was, all that ever could be." She stopped, glancing at Mystery through her lashes. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is." Mystery, watching the lights flitting about, could understand why the Moment was happy to stay there. "Can I see one?"

"I could hardly stop you," the Moment said dryly. "You are in complete control here, Mystery. You only have to think it."

"Only have to think it," Mystery murmured, looking around. There were so many options, she felt herself almost incapable of making a choice.

 _My birth,_ she thought suddenly, recalling the strange stories she'd heard regarding her creation, and the Doctor's reluctance to explain. _Show me that._

Immediately, one little light floated over to hang in front of her. She glanced over at the Moment. "This is one of your favorites?" The Moment only shrugged.

As Mystery watched, the light expanded, a scene slowly taking shape in the center. She watched, fascinated, as Clara offered herself up to the heart of the TARDIS, then as the Doctor fed his own regeneration energy into the mix to save his companion's life.

The bit that most interested her, though, was the tendril of golden light, light that matched her current surroundings exactly, that wound its way through the TARDIS interior to a familiar wooden crib. The light began to swirl, creating a miniature cyclone that slowly resolved into the form of an infant.

She watched as the baby opened her eyes and began to cry, until a hand reached out and rocked the mobile hanging over the cot. Mystery's eyes widened. "Who's that? Clara?" It was clearly a woman's hand.

The Moment smiled at the floating memory fondly. "That's me," she said softly. "The first face your face saw." She winked. "Appropriate, isn't it?"

"That's one way to put it," Mystery muttered. _Enough,_ she thought, and the picture before her winked back into a tiny point of light that zipped off, along its way. "What's happening right now?" she asked. "To me, I mean."

"Well," the Moment said slowly, taking time to consider the question, " _right now,_ here, is always. Everything that has ever happened or will ever happen is happening to you right now. But in the moment that you left it, your body-"

"My body?" Mystery glanced down at herself. She appeared solid enough. She pinched her arm, and definitely felt the pain. "What do you mean, my body?"

"Your physical form, the muscles and bones and nerves that makes up you," Bad Wolf explained, "Right now, it's just an empty shell, and it's lying in a heap on the floor of a base on Demon's Run, apparently unconscious. My hold on time broke when you forced your way in here, so they're all fretting about you, I'm sure."

She crooked a finger, and one long strand detached, winding out of the woven wall to hang in front of them. The tip expanded, just as the light had before, giving Mystery a perfect view of the control room she'd been in so recently.

As the Moment had predicted, most of her group was clustered around her fallen body, which, she was interested to note, was ever so slightly smoking.

"Yes, this isn't much good for it," Bad Wolf commented, noticing the smoke as well. "The soul and the body aren't meant to be parted, not if you expect the body to stay living."

"My soul," Mystery repeated, too overwhelmed by the day's events even to be surprised. "So that's what this is."

"Soul, spirit, consciousness, call it what you like." The Moment shrugged. "Names don't make much difference in the end. But whatever you're going to do, do it quickly," she added.

Mystery raised an eyebrow. "Why?" she asked. "Here I thought I had all the time in the universe."

"Oh, you do, yes, it's all right here," Bad Wolf replied easily. "Your body, however… Not so much. Every minute you spend here is years to your body. Condensed time, see."

"Alright," said Mystery slowly, struggling to understand. "So you're saying I might wake up old?" Her thoughts flashed back to when Clara had appeared on the doorstep of that little house in England, aged decades, and shuddered.

"Old, yes," Bad Wolf said easily. "Or dead."

Mystery blinked. "Thanks for that," she said dryly. "Anything else I should know?"

"Probably." Bad Wolf smiled. Mystery glanced at her, then looked away - her golden eyes were disconcerting. "Look down," the Moment directed her guest.

Obediently, Mystery looked - and gasped. There, snaking across the bottom of the golden bubble, was a thick black crack. As she watched, bits of light were breaking off and pouring into the darkness, disappearing from view.

"I did mention time was fracturing apart." Mystery looked up, horrified, to see Bad Wolf watching her intently. "Did you think I was joking?"

"Not exactly, I just-"

"Didn't believe me?" The Moment looked down at the gradually spreading crack. "Time is slipping away," she said quietly, "soon to be gone forever. So what are you going to do?"

"Fix it," Mystery replied determinedly.

"I do hope so," Bad Wolf answered patiently, with a touch of asperity, "but how?"

"Bring everything back," she said, glancing down at the blackness below her. "Change reality, so that none of this ever happened. Can I do that?" she asked.

The Moment nodded, her expression unreadable. "While you're here, you can do anything you want, and there's not a thing I can do to stop you. All my power is yours."

Mystery smiled slightly. "The genie in the box," she said dryly. "Wonderful." She took another look at her friends. Jack appeared to be threatening Missy, who had her hands up protestingly. The Doctor had his sonic out, scanning her own unconscious head.

Mystery shivered - it was very strange to see her own body lying there, unmoving. She wondered for a moment if this was how it felt to be dead. Then she wondered if maybe she was dead, and just didn't know it yet.

Her eyes fell on River, and the sight of her friend, who truly was dead, jolted her back to the present. "Okay," she said grimly, cracking her knuckles. "Let's do this."

She held up her hands, checking for regeneration energy. Mystery smiled at the golden-orange light dancing around her fingers. "The Doctor taught me how to use this to heal other people," she said softly, then looked up at the Moment. "Let's see if it can heal time."

"Mystery," the Moment said, a cautioning note in her tone. "Just so you know: using your regeneration energy like that... it'll burn up the years even faster."

"Then so be it." Mystery took a deep breath, steeling her nerves, then plunged her hands deep into the golden weavings before her. She felt their energy leap out to bond with her own, and in the last seconds before the connection was made, she sent out a hurried plea:

 _Please let me fix this. Please let me do some good._

She gasped as the power licked her fingers, then added one more entreaty.

 _Please let me survive._

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, friends! This was my first adventure into completely uncharted, original territory, so I hope it went well. I like it rather a lot, and I hope you all did too. This is simply my imagination as to how the Moment sees the universe, and there is no canon to stop me, so hah. Anyway.**

 **News: we now have cover art for both this story and Mystery Girl! I made it myself, and I'm no graphic designer, but I'm pretty darn proud of it either way. So go have a look at that, if you haven't already, and do tell me what you think!**

 **Also, because I'd forgotten about it for ages and it suddenly came up: I have always and will always offer my services as a beta reader to anyone who wants them. I really do enjoy editing, and I'm pretty good at it as well, so if you or someone you know is in need of a hand, hit me up. Goodness knows I've got the time.**

 **I think that's all, so I'll once again thank you for sticking with Mystery this far, and for the sweet reviews I've been getting. I simply cannot get enough of your feedback!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	18. Power

The Moment's power, now fully connected to Mystery's own, was enormous. Mystery felt as though her veins had been replaced by bolts of lightning, sparking and jumping constantly. The sensation wasn't painful, but she certainly wouldn't call it comfortable.

The golden strands responded to her much more quickly now - hardly before a thought even left her mind, it was already being carried out. It was overwhelming for a moment, pictures and sounds swirling around her until she managed to get her thoughts under control, focusing on the thing foremost in her mind: the scene she'd left on Demon's Run.

 _Alright,_ she thought, the words echoing around her until she wasn't sure if she'd actually voiced the words. Somehow speaking aloud seemed unnecessary here. _First things first. Might as well start big._

Mystery allowed her vision to expand, the 'picture' of her focus zooming outwards until she saw first the entirety of Demon's Run, then the galaxy it was in, then the entirety of the universe. _Skaro,_ she thought, glancing around. _If I were Skaro, where would I be?_

No sooner were the words formed in her mind when she felt a tug in her gut, one she instinctively knew meant she was traveling from one universe to the next. She sucked in a breath, then the planet appeared before her. It was far away from any stars, and Mystery knew instantly that it was freezing. _Go on, then. Back where you came from._

She smiled as the planet suddenly winked out, and smiled wider as she felt it settle back in its rightful place. Briefly, Mystery considered trying to repair the damage done by its brief stint in another universe, but then thought of the horrors the Daleks had done, and decided against it.

 _Now that's done,_ she thought, pleased. It took her only a few moments to locate and return the half-dozen other planets sucked through the black holes Missy had engineered. She watched the last black hole close with a pop, marveling at the incredible power she commanded.

Next Mystery turned her attention to the thousands of stars rocketing through their lifecycles. This was much easier to undo, as it was a direct working of the Moment, directed by Missy, of course. That done, she spared a second to restore the planets burned in accidental collisions with stars.

Somewhere, faintly, she could feel the Moment bending to her will, could feel the conscience of it overseeing her every move. It gave her chills.

 _This must be how it feels to be a god,_ she thought, observing herself as if from afar, with some detached part of her mind. Mystery wondered for a brief moment which part: human? Time Lord? _The universe responding to your slightest whim._

Her gaze fell to her own hands, which were positively glowing with regeneration energy, and she was reminded sharply of the cost she would soon be paying for this power. _Don't think about it,_ Mystery ordered herself. _Not yet. There's still plenty to do._

Mystery glanced down, her eyes landing on the ugly black crack snaking between her feet. It was shrinking, she saw, but slowly. Too slowly. With hardly a second thought, she pointed down at the crack, and laughed as golden regeneration energy poured off her hands, jumping to the crack and sewing it back together. _Time is mended, just like that. Even the greatest crisis is never so bad as it's made out to be._

Tearing her eyes away from the incredible views before her, Mystery zipped back to the control room at Demon's Run. She saw, to her satisfaction, that alarms were blaring, and Missy was staring at the screens with a look of disgusted anger. Obviously, the systems were registering that something had gone wrong.

She quickly surveyed the room, taking in everything that was going on. _What to do, what to do,_ she thought idly, wiggling her fingers in anticipation. _Ah. Daleks._

Mystery knew that with even a twitch, she could vaporize every Dalek on the ship, every Dalek in the universe, if she chose, but something held her back. _Killing them…_ She shook her head. _It'd be the same as what they did to River. That'd make me no better than them._ With a wry smile, she added, _Just because I'm part Dalek doesn't mean I have to like it._

Instead, Mystery chose to send them back to Skaro. _Let them deal with whatever mess the Doctor's going to leave. They've done enough here._ She had to resist a giggle at the mystified expressions on her friends' faces at the sudden disappearances of the dozen Daleks.

However, to her surprise, the Doctor looked up, seemingly right at her, though she knew he couldn't possibly be truly seeing her. His eyes locked with hers, and for a moment amid the madness, Mystery felt certain he knew exactly where she was and what she was doing. He nodded slightly, then blinked, and the connection was lost.

Mystery shook her head slightly, trying to clear it. _Keep moving,_ she told herself firmly. _You haven't any time to waste._ She swept her gaze across the room, and her eyes landed on Missy.

Suddenly, Mystery was acutely aware of the full reach of her power. This woman had stolen her childhood, tortured her, manipulated the Doctor, and caused her friends grief beyond her knowledge. Doubtless she also had quite a history of conflict with the Doctor, and based on their interactions, Mystery guessed it hadn't all been good. Images flashed across her mind: millions of spiked balls zipping through the sky, a wizened creature in a cage she knew instinctively to be the Doctor, Missy laughing in a graveyard, and many others.

Mystery shook her head, dismissing the images, which vanished as quickly as they had come. They were enough to tell her that her suspicions were correct. She could feel her fingers tingling, itching to do something to this woman who had done so much to others.

But no, she found that as she stared at Missy, backed into a corner by a furious Jack, she couldn't muster the anger and hatred that she felt she ought to be feeling. Perhaps it was the dominance she now held over her, perhaps she knew that Missy had no remorse and no understanding of what she had done and wouldn't learn a thing. Perhaps she was just too soft. Whatever it was, Mystery found herself unable to bring her what she deserved. _I'll let the Doctor deal with her,_ she decided. _She's done far more to him than to me. Maybe I owe him that._

However, even if she left Missy to the Doctor's judgement, she still had one more major thing to deal with. In all the commotion and confusion, there was one element that remained unchanged. The body of Professor River Song lay prone on the floor, an island of stillness in a sea of chaos.

 _I have to fix this._ Mystery felt a fleeting pang of guilt, remembering the Doctor's face as he'd watched his wife fall. _They're here because of me, she's dead because of me._ This would, she knew, be much harder to do than anything she'd done yet. Human life was complicated, and she sensed it would be easy to get wrong, but she had to try. She owed River that much.

 _Besides,_ she reasoned, _theoretically, whatever I do, I should be able to undo more easily. Although,_ she added grimly, _in this case reversing it would be condemning her to her second death in only a few minutes..._

With a deep breath, Mystery closed her eyes and reached for the golden strand that was River's life. It dangled loose, prematurely cut off. With one gentle fingertip, she lifted the end, examining it. It was jagged and rough, looking torn rather than cut, as she'd expected. _A life not so much cut short as torn away,_ she thought, then snorted. _How poetic. Either way, we'll soon fix that._

Ever so lightly, she felt around in the golden weavings, using the senses the Moment's power gave her rather than her own. At last Mystery felt she had found the splintered ends of what would have been the rest of River's life. _And now the real work begins._

In some corner of her mind, she could see River's form, lying still on the floor. She pushed the image aside, keeping it within reach, and directed some bit of her consciousness to watch it.

Just as she was about to begin, a memory flashed in front of her: Jack Harkness, wearing a plain white shirt, sprawled on the floor, slumped against a wall. Mystery was certain he was dead. But as she watched, he coughed, gasped, and sat up, eyes wide. In the moments before the image faded, Mystery caught a glimpse of the same blonde woman from before, eyes glowing.

 _Be careful,_ the Moment warned, her thoughts - or possibly her voice, Mystery wasn't sure - echoing around her. _It's easy to go too far._

 _Duly noted,_ Mystery replied. But she could feel the Moment's uncertainty.

Summoning all the power at her disposal, Mystery bent to her task. Carefully, she held up the two opposing ends of River's life-thread, laying the fragile fibers on top of each other. Once they were crossed, Mystery simply _willed_ them to join. The Moment's power flowed through her, and she laughed as she felt it beginning to obey. Mystery felt a pull deep in her gut, as if the Moment was resisting. She applied a little more pressure, exerting as much of her will as she could muster, still being cautious not to go too far and repeat past mistakes. There was a pounding in her head, then the resistance gave way.

With a sigh of relief, Mystery watched as the two golden strands melted together to form one uninterrupted whole. In the corner of her mind that was still in Demon's Run, she saw River jerk, then start to life with a gasp, much as Jack had. Instantly, the Doctor was at her side, helping her to her feet. Mystery smiled, confident that her friend was in the best possible hands.

As she watched, however, the string that was River's life started to grow, becoming longer and longer and longer. Mystery took a deep breath, trying to forestall her growing panic. _What's going on?_ she asked, directing the question to the Moment.

 _Don't worry,_ came the reply. _It's not what you think. She's not immortal. Her death is a fixed point in time, actually._ There was a pause as Bad Wolf considered. _Although, her lifespan may be… augmented. A bit._

 _A bit? How much is a bit?_ But she would receive no answer.

Slowly, Mystery surveyed the room, mentally running through the problems she'd had to deal with. She was reasonably confident she'd done all she'd set out to do. Though she knew full well the cost of every second, she was reluctant to leave. The power, she had to admit, was intoxicating - there were so many problems left in the universe, so many wrongs to be righted. She could see them all, all at once, and knew she could fix them in an instant.

As if in response to this thought, another image flitted before her eyes. She sensed that it was sent by the Moment. It showed a simple scene: several tents, a campfire, and a couple laughing and joking. With a start, Mystery recognized herself. It was from earlier that day - could it really have been only that day? She and Evin had been waiting for dark to set in, roasting marshmallows and simply having fun. She had been so happy.

With a pang, Mystery realized that she hadn't had any clue, at the time, that the Doctor truly existed. She smiled. _So much changes in so little time._ One thing, though, didn't change: this was still the man she loved, and she would do anything to get back to him.

 _I'd forgotten him,_ Mystery realized, guilt a cold lump in her stomach. _With the universe at my command, he'd flown my mind completely._ She sent her thanks and relief to the Moment for bringing her back to herself.

 _And now for the literal version,_ she thought wryly. _Time to return to myself._ With a sigh of regret, Mystery released the Moment's power, sinking away until she was back to how she'd came.

Slowly, she looked up to see Bad Wolf watching her intently. "You've been wonderful company," she said softly. "I'll so hate to see you go."

"You know I have to," Mystery answered. Now that the power was gone, she could already feel the effects being in this place was having on her mind. "Minimize the damage, yes?"

The Moment nodded, her golden eyes never leaving Mystery's face. "As much as we can. Always."

"Always?" Mystery raised an eyebrow. "You mean, not just for Time Lords?"

With a small smile, Bad Wolf nodded. "When you touched the fabric of time, I felt everything," she said simply. "The feelings of every living creature in the world. I've watched their lives, yes, even heard their thoughts, if they had them. But the emotions…" She shrugged. "That was new."

"Right. Good." Mystery rubbed her hands together awkwardly, unsure what to say. How did one say goodbye to a person who didn't really exist and who had provided the power to rewrite the universe? "Will I see you again?"

"I expect so," the Moment said lightly. "Though not like this," she added, glancing around at their surroundings. "Once is enough."

"More than enough," Mystery said fervently. Bad Wolf laughed. Mystery smiled too, then sighed. "How do I go back?"

"You only need to think it," the Moment answered. "Surely that'd be obvious by now."

"I suppose so," Mystery answered with a smile. "Sure I won't be dead."

"No one's ever sure of that." There was silence for a moment, then Bad Wolf spoke up. "You did well, Mystery. I'm proud." Mystery flushed at the unexpected compliment. "But remember, no matter how well you did…" The Moment's face darkened. "You won't escape this unscathed."

With that dire pronouncement, she disappeared. Mystery shook her head. _Worry about that when it comes,_ she thought. She took one last look around her, drinking in the sight, then closed her eyes.

 _Take me back,_ she thought, concentrating only on those words, that thought. _Before it's too late._

* * *

 **A.N: Well. That was the strangest chapter I think I've ever written, but I rather enjoyed it, and I'm quite proud of it. Also ridiculously long, so I hope it was worth the wait. I'm super tired right now, honestly, and I may or may not be thinking straight. Hopefully everything makes sense. If you're confused, I suggest you go read the last chapter again, as it has been a while. If you've still got questions, PM me. I know this chapter is a bit out there. River's not dead, like many of you guessed. I suppose I'm getting predictable. Shame. I'll have to see what I can do about that...**

 **Anyway, haven't got a whole lot to say, so thank you, dears, for reading. Shoutout to you silent people who I never hear from - I appreciate you very much, and would love to actually have something to put with your name. And of course, you dear faithful people who review every chapter: I look forward to it every time. Much love to you all, my children.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	19. Wisdom Comes With Age

The transition back into her body was a rough one. As soon as Mystery slipped away from the golden light, all that was left was darkness, a darkness so black she found herself rubbing her fingers together, just to make sure they were still there.

Slowly, her fear receded as she felt herself settle back into her body. The physical flesh felt almost like a cage after the freedom she'd felt while joined with the Moment. For a second, Mystery struggled, fighting to free herself, then she gasped, and air flooded her lungs once more.

"Mystery!" She wasn't sure who'd spoken - she thought maybe it was Jack - but almost immediately there were hands at her back, helping her sit up. "Mystery?"

She coughed, hard, the spasms wracking her body. Everything ached - joints, muscles, bones, almost as if they were rusty from disuse.

 _Well,_ Mystery thought wryly. _At least I'm not dead._

"What happened to her?" Jack whispered. "Why is she…"

"I don't know," the Doctor said quietly. He sounded troubled. "I've honestly no idea. And I don't like it."

"Somebody write that down," River said dryly. "The Doctor doesn't know something."

"Yes, well, it does happen occasionally," he answered. "Only think how bored I'd be if it didn't."

Finally, Mystery managed to get her eyes open. She was greeted by the sight of her three friends crouched around her, though they weren't very clear.

The Doctor beamed, but something in his smile wasn't quite genuine. "Welcome back, Mystery!"

"Thanks," she answered, her voice as rusty as her joints. "How-" She coughed, then tried again. "How long was I out?"

River and Jack exchanged a glance, one Mystery couldn't read. "Only a few minutes," River said cautiously. "As near as I can figure, anyway. I was _dead_ , after all. But…"

"But it looks like it may have been a bit longer," Jack finished. His voice, was gentle - too gentle.

Mystery took a deep breath. "Listen, I know something's wrong, so just tell me. How much older do I look?"

Again her three friends exchanged glances, clearly unwilling to put the truth into words. " _Tell me!"_ she shouted, her voice echoing in the small room.

"Well, from the looks of things, I'd say about…" Missy paused, thinking. "Forty years?" She smiled wickedly. "Doesn't even look that bad. You've aged well." She ran a hand over her smooth, dark hair. "Not as well as me, of course."

Mystery jumped - she'd nearly forgotten the Time Lady was there. In a way, though, she was grateful for Missy's willingness to tell her the truth. "Do shut up, Missy," she said instead.

"It really isn't that bad," Jack told her earnestly. "And trust me, I'm the king of vanity, so-"

"You shut up too," Mystery added, though more kindly. "Please." Jack subsided, his worry obvious.

Mystery couldn't explain why his concern made her so irritable. She'd done what she had to do, and this was the price. If she was being honest, it was better than she'd expected. "Let me see," she said tightly.

"Mystery, maybe you shouldn't-" the Doctor began, but she cut him off, reaching up to clutch the lapel of his jacket.

"Doctor, I have literally just given about forty years of my life to save the entirety of the universe," she told him, her voice hard. "Don't you dare tell me I can't see what it's done to me."

The Doctor looked at her for a moment, then shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said lightly. "I don't suppose I'm really in any position to argue." He hooked a hand under her armpits, lifting her carefully to her feet. Jack ducked in to help him, and together they helped her to her feet.

"You know, you're going to have to explain how you did it at some point," Jack said. "Must be quite a story."

Mystery waved him off. "Later, I promise," she told him. "This first."

"There's a camera built into these screens," River said, striding over to them and keying in some commands. "Here." Moments later, an image popped up - an exact mirror of the room.

"Oh, this is gonna be _classic,"_ Missy said delightedly, watching Mystery closely. "I wish I had some popcorn."

"I could be wrong," River said icily, "but I believe she told you to _shut up."_

With the help of Jack and the Doctor, Mystery made her way to stand in front of the screen, eyes on the ground.

"You don't have to do this," Jack told her, but the withering stare she cast his way was enough to stop him.

"Don't be ridiculous," she said, her tone full of casualness she didn't feel at all. "I'm going to have to look in a mirror someday. Might as well be now."

Mystery took a deep breath and looked up. She was greeted by a face that she recognized as her own, but only just. Her cheeks were wrinkled, her forehead was dotted with brown spots, her hair was almost completely grey, and her eyes-

"I've got cataracts," she said slowly, finally hit by the reality of what had happened. "Doctor, I'm _old!"_

"Told you so," sang Missy, leaning against the wall. River glared at her again.

"I'm getting married soon, you know, and-" She gasped. "Oh God, what is Evin going to say?"

"Mystery, calm down," the Doctor said bracingly, laying a hand on her shoulder. "If he really loves you-"

"Don't," she said quietly. "Just don't. You have _no idea_ …" She turned away, wrenching her shoulder out of his grasp. About to continue her tirade, Mystery stopped, realizing suddenly that maybe he did. She took a calming breath, then continued, her voice steadier. "Doctor, I promised my life to that man, and now I've shortchanged him by forty years. He's expecting a wife in her twenties, not her sixties! I can't…" She shook her head. "I can't let him see me like this."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned her quickly. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, it's only thirty-six years," he said lightly, peering at the screwdriver. River stepped forward and took his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Darling, you're not helping," she said softly, watching the aged Mystery closely. "Let her be."

"Ah, is our golden girl having a meltdown?" Missy asked. Her every syllable mocked. "Poor dear."

River sucked in a deep breath, shaking her head. "I have had just about enough of you," she muttered. She glanced up at her husband. "May I?"

He shrugged. "If you must."

"Thank you, sweetie." She flashed him a tender smile, then turned around and landed a punch squarely on Missy's jaw. The Time Lady crumpled to the floor with hardly a whimper, out cold. "That's better," River said, shaking out her hand with a satisfied smile.

Mystery smiled in spite of herself, looking away from their happiness, their love. She glanced down at her hands instead, wincing as she saw how wrinkled her once-smooth skin had become, and felt her heart break.

 _He can never know,_ she thought miserably. _Never. I'll have to disappear, make him think I've, I've died, or… something. Torchwood must know how to do that. And then he can move on…_ She looked down at her hands again and saw a glint of gold: her engagement ring. The sight of it sent her into tears. _And I'll never see him again._

At the look in her husband's eye, River grabbed the Doctor and pulled him off to the side. Dimly, Mystery heard them having some sort of whispered debate, but it was the least of her worries.

Without a word, Jack stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. Sighing, Mystery let him, allowing herself to pretend that nothing had happened as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Hey, it's alright," he told her quietly. "You saved us all, and even the Doctor doesn't know how. You're a hero, Mystery."

"I never wanted to be," she whispered, hating herself as she felt burning drops leaving tracks down her cheeks. "I never wanted any of this, I didn't have a choice."

"I know." She felt one of his hands coming up to stroke her hair. Slowly, her breathing began to relax. "None of us ever asked to be heros," he murmured. "Not one of us." He shrugged, and she felt his chest rise and fall. "But here we are." He pulled back a bit, smiling down at her. "What does that say about us?"

"We're idiots," Mystery told him firmly, before laying her head back on his shoulder. "Whoever said winning was all there is has clearly never lived," she muttered, startling a laugh out of the captain.

"Clearly not," Jack chuckled. Then, more serious, he said, "No, sometimes winning isn't anything at all. Still better than losing, though," he added with a grin.

"Still better than losing." Mystery smiled, stepping out of his embrace and wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. Somehow, Jack had done the impossible - he'd cheered her up.

"Oh, I hate you!" River shouted suddenly, obviously frustrated. Mystery and Jack both looked over to see the Doctor give her a quick kiss, one she did not return.

"No you don't," he told her fondly. Then he spun around to face his friends, his coat tails flying. "So," he said, rubbing his hands together, "I have had... an i _dea_."

"A bad idea," River muttered darkly, but the Doctor hushed her with a look.

"An idea," he continued, "that might just be able to fix what's happened here today."

"What do you mean?" Mystery asked cautiously, not allowing herself to hope just yet.

"I mean," the Doctor said, rolling his hand around on his wrist until his joints cracked, "you've restored the entirety of the universe." He held up his hand, which was glowing gold. "Let me restore you."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, dears. Mystery lives, of course, although not entirely unscathed. Of course, now there's a solution...but will she take it? Also, to those of you who are starting to ship Mystery and Jack: stop it. She's engaged. Leave her alone. Thank you.**

 **You may or may not have noticed, but I have changed the name of this story. Nothing too drastic, really. I just never really liked this one too much, and thought of the new one only a few days ago. Not to mention, I have been ever so tentatively planning out a third story (don't bother getting excited, I've plenty to do before then) and it will also have a two-word title. Don't even ask, I won't tell. But I do appreciate consistency, so that's what's up. If it hasn't kicked in by the time you read this, check back in half an hour or something. This website is weird.**

 **I've been greatly enjoying the beta requests I've gotten. I do very much enjoy editing things, especially from my fellow authors here at good old . It's a joy, and I thank you. Thank you too to my dear readers, particularly those who review. I know we've had a few new readers, so I welcome you with open arms. Please enjoy your stay.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	20. Restoration Refused

"No," Mystery told the Doctor firmly, forcing herself to look away from his outstretched, glowing hand. "Not on your life. Any of them."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Moment, standing to the back of the crowd, watching her intently. As soon as she knew she'd caught Mystery's gaze, she nodded once and vanished.

"Mystery, think about it," the Doctor pleaded. "If you-"

"I am thinking about it," she retorted, "and the answer is still no. You put that away right now," she added, glancing back at the regeneration energy writhing about his fingers.

"Why not?" Jack demanded. "If he can fix whatever's happened to you, why not let him?"

"Because there's a cost," River said quietly. "Isn't there always?" Mystery was reminded sharply of her conversation with the Moment, only minutes before. _There's always a catch._

"Okay," said Jack slowly, raising an eyebrow. "So what's the cost, Doctor?"

"Hardly anything," the Doctor said lightly, not quite meeting any of their eyes. "Definitely not compared to the _entire universe."_

"What is it?" he repeated insistently.

"Using regeneration energy to heal means there's less of it to use for yourself," River explained with a black look for her husband. "Somewhere down the line, he's going to run out."

"Run out." Jack looked at his three companions in turn. "Someone want to explain that? Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on?"

"It's nothing, really," said the Doctor impatiently. "Maybe one day I'll be missing an arm or a couple of toes or something. Or I'll just be really little. I'll be fine."

"Then why won't River let you do it?" Mystery asked quietly. She smiled at his discomfort. "That's what I thought."

"He's not lying, not entirely," River said, quietly furious even while defending the Time Lord. "For something little, like a broken wrist..." She glanced at the Doctor quickly, then looked away. "That might be it. But for something this major?" She shook her head. "There's a much bigger price to pay."

 _Of course there is,_ Mystery thought wearily, suddenly tired of it all, tired of the give and take, and of losing even while she won.

She looked up, knowing the Moment would be there. "You'll always have a price, Mystery," she told her softly. "A life, an existence as powerful as yours cannot be without repercussions."

Mystery nodded slowly, although to who, she wasn't sure. "How much, Doctor?" she asked, all the fight gone out of her. "How long?"

The Doctor looked at her for one long moment. She felt as though he was examining every hidden crevasse of her mind, searching for a reason not to answer. Mystery lifted her chin, defying him to stay silent. River and Jack stood motionless, watching, waiting.

Finally, the Doctor took a deep breath, giving in. "Thirty-six years," he said brusquely. "The exact amount of life, of energy, that she gave up. No more no less."

"It's a debt that must be paid, one way or another," the Moment put in, still seemingly for Mystery's ears alone. "You can pass it on, but you can't cheat it altogether."

 _Crack!_

River had stepped forward and slapped the Doctor soundly across the face. He staggered, reeling, but Mystery noticed he had made no move to avoid the blow.

"Don't you dare," she said furiously. "Don't you even think of it. I won't let you give up decades of your own life, I won't!"

"And why not?" he shouted, stepping closer to her. "Hmm? What gave you the right to decide how I use my time, my life?"

"I'm your _wife,"_ she retorted, spitting out every word. "If no one else is going to stop you from doing stupid things, _I will."_

Mystery's eyes widened. She glanced over at Jack, deciding whether to step in. He caught her eye and shook his head. "Just stay out of it," he whispered in her ear. "Fights like this go one of two ways, every time. Just wait." Mystery wanted to ask, but they were off again.

"River, you-" The Doctor stopped, conscious of his audience, and lowered his voice. "You're being sentimental, and unfair, and, what's worse, _stupid."_

"Sentimental?" River gasped. "Unfair? Looks who's talking! And in what way, just exactly how am I being stupid?"

"By the time what I'm spending here catches up with me, _you_ won't be around to see it," he told her. "You'll be dead, and I'll… I'll keep existing, like I always do. Like I always have. This is the story of my life, River," he said angrily, grabbing her shoulders. "I doubt I'm going to die of old age anyway, so it won't hardly matter at all. A few decades less, what difference does it make? Especially to you. You won't be around to see, so why care?"

"Because I love you," she whispered. "Of course I care. Of course I want you to go off having mad adventures for as long as you possibly can, whether I'm there or not." She put a hand up to his face, pushing back his hair and stroking his cheek. "Of course I care."

The Doctor seemed to deflate. He wiped away her tears with his thumb, then kissed her forehead gently. "River," he murmured. "River Song. Melody Pond. What did I do to deserve you?"

"Your entire life, I think," she told him with a smile. "I think, all things considered, I'm exactly what you deserve."

"Yep," Jack whispered, grinning. "There it is. Kissing. I told you, one of two ways."

"What was the other way?" Mystery asked. Jack winked.

"Murder."

The Doctor opened his mouth, seemingly to continue the argument, but Mystery stepped forward.

"Doctor, even with all this, I think there's one thing you're forgetting," she said with a smile. He turned to look at her, not letting go of River.

"There usually is, somehow," he said, somewhat apprehensively. "What?"

"No doctor can practice on a patient without their consent, except in times of emergency," she told him, lifting her chin. "And this may be many things, but it is no emergency."

The Doctor groaned softly. "Rules, rules, rules. Humans have so many of them, don't they? Very annoying."

Mystery chose to ignore that. "I do not, nor will I ever, give consent for you to sacrifice yourself like that." She shrugged. "River has a point. Doctor, you've saved so many lives, touched so many more. Just the sound of your TARDIS brings hope wherever it goes." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Moment smiling. "Your time is worth so much more than mine, Doctor. And yes," she added at the light of rebellion in his eyes, "I _do_ get to decide that."

"Mystery, wait," Jack said suddenly, ignoring her glare. "No, hear me out. Because I've lived for a while too, Doctor. You've seen centuries, I've seen millennia." He smiled at the Doctor's expression. "A story for another day. But what I've noticed about life is that it's relative."

"Relative," Mystery repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Jack nodded. "Right. See, I've been a lot of places, seen a lot of things, met a lot of people…" He swallowed hard. "Loved some of them. Watched most of them die. And if there's one thing I've seen, over and over again, it's that life tastes the sweetest to someone who appreciates it."

River frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

"If you know you've only got another week to live, that week is going to be the most precious time in the world," he explained. "To someone who can only expect to live maybe eighty, ninety years, thirty-six is a lot. To someone who can expect eight hundred? Eight thousand?" He shook his head. "It's nothing. A drop in the proverbial ocean. Who would miss it?" With a bitter laugh, he added, "I know I've got a few decades I wouldn't mind missing."

The Doctor smiled slightly. "Don't we all?"

"And even if you do get to regenerate, how many times?" Jack persisted. "I mean, I'm no expert, but surely being only part Time Lord will have some effect? Either way, I'm fairly certain you won't live nearly as long as he will." He shrugged. "Take what you're given, Mystery."

"You've got a point," Mystery responded, her voice level. "You really do, but you're missing a piece: the amount of time you're given doesn't matter at all." She dropped her voice to a half whisper. "It's what you do with it."

She turned to the Doctor and was surprised to see him smiling almost reminiscently. "You spend your time out among the stars, saving planets and seeing the sights of the universe. Me?" She laughed. "I just sit at a telescope dreaming."

Stepping forward, Mystery took the Doctor's once glowing hand in her own wrinkled one. "Keep those years, Doctor," she said softly. "Just make them count."

The Doctor was silent for so long she began to wonder if time had stopped again. At last, he gently kissed her fingers, then dropped her hand. "As you wish, Mystery," he said softly. "I just hope you don't regret it."

Mystery opened her mouth to say that she wouldn't, but the words just wouldn't come out. Helplessly, she whispered a simple "thank you" instead.

"Well, this is all very touching," drawled a voice from the back of the room. Mystery whirled around as fast as her newly-aged muscles would let her to see Missy struggling to her feet, nursing a large purple bruise on her chin. Jack groaned softly.

"What do you want, Missy?" River asked, her tone guarded.

"Oh, nothing much, really," Missy said lightly. "Just a very simple request for information."

"What information?" Jack asked. The Doctor was silent.

"Well, I seem to have been beaten," she answered, spreading her arms wide. "No weapons, no allies, no way out, so the question remains."

She stepped forward, coming closer and closer until she was mere inches away from the Doctor. " _What are you going to do with me?_ "

* * *

 **A.N: So she didn't take it! Some of you will be pleased, others less so, but tough. She is her own woman. Of course, we've still got some loose ends to tie up, so don't expect the story over quite yet.**

 **Um. I feel like I should say more, but honestly, I'm tired. So goodnight (to some of you) and thank you all again for reading!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	21. Redemption

**A.N: It has been recommended by my friend/editor that you listen to the Doctor Who soundtrack while reading this. I certainly won't advise against it :)**

* * *

Missy's question was greeted with a bemused silence from the four.

"What?" Missy asked, wincing as she lightly touched the bruise. "Is it really that bad? Oh, I'll bet you _anything_ it's going to clash with my makeup." It actually matched impressively well, but Mystery certainly wasn't going to tell her that. "Tell you what," she commented to River, "you've got one hell of a right hook."

"There's more where that came from, I promise you that," River muttered. The Doctor shot her a quelling look.

"Oh, come _on!_ You're not honestly telling me you hadn't thought about it? Not even a little bit?" She sighed. "Now I see what you think of me."

"Now that you mention it," the Doctor said slowly, turning to Mystery, "you dealt with everything, all on your own. How? And why didn't you deal with her?"

"I forced my way into the Moment and used her-" She shook her head impatiently. " _It's_ power and my own regeneration energy to repair the crack in time," Mystery explained quickly. The Doctor nodded, impressed. "More on that later, if you like. But as for her…" She looked at Missy and shrugged. "I thought you'd rather take care of her yourself."

"Delivered into my hands," the Doctor muttered, looking over at Missy. "Just like you tried to do to me. What were you saying about gift wrap?"

"Ooh, Doctor." Missy raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. "Such a vindictive streak. Didn't know you had it in you."

"Must say I'm a tiny bit surprised myself. But then, you should know." He smiled too, and somehow in that moment Mystery was almost more afraid of him than of Missy. "Nothing gets me angrier than someone doing something to one of my friends."

Missy considered him for a moment. "Alright," she said at last. "Do it. Whatever you're going to do, all the nasty things you're cooking up in that head of yours, let's see it." The Doctor was still. "Come on, come on," she said, goading him. "I'm completely open. Beaten, figuratively and literally, alone, at your mercy. So come on." She held her arms straight out, head back. " _Do it!"_

Still, the Doctor didn't move. To the casual observer, it might look as though he hadn't even heard her, but his face tightened - Mystery knew enough to know he was fighting down fury.

"No," Missy said, shaking her head, "no, you won't. You never would, would you? You're too good. Too boring. You're on the side of the angels, aren't you? Dreadfully dull. Can't get anything done that way."

"A burden I'm willing to bear," he said lightly.

"Wouldn't it be better to lock me up somewhere?" she asked him, arching one thin brow. "Out of the way, where no one could get to me? You told me once you'd keep me shut up in your TARDIS, watch over me."

"Is that what you want?" the Doctor asked her. "Really?"

"I want my friend back," she said simply, her Scottish accent coloring the words. "Is that so much to ask?"

"Doctor, you can't be considering this," River said immediately. "You can't let her into the TARDIS, I don't care how well you lock her up. She stole the Moment from you, remember? God knows what she'd get into next."

"I'm all for second chances," the Doctor said with a small smile. Then he glanced at Mystery. "Just maybe not today." He turned his back on Missy and strode towards the door.

"So you're just going to do nothing?" she demanded. "Going to let me walk away?" She sniffed. "I'm disappointed, really I am." There was the slightest hint of desperation in her voice.

He stopped, smiling to himself. "Ah, now, I didn't say that. I-" He stopped suddenly, seeming to focus in one something else, something Mystery couldn't see.

"Doctor?" Jack asked cautiously. "Everything alright?"

"I-" He hesitated, still clearly fixed on something else. "Yes, I'm fine, I just…" He nodded briefly. "Just got distracted."

"I noticed," River muttered. Mystery had a suspicion she knew what had distracted him.

"Right. Yes! Anyway." The Doctor rubbed his hands together. "Jack, Mystery, River, head for the TARDIS. I think that's enough excitement for one day," he said with a grin. "Time to go home."

"Just like that?" Missy demanded. "You're leaving?"

"Yes," the Doctor told her firmly, a hint of a smile. "We're leaving, and you won't be. Your allies are gone, and, I would guess, so is your transportation." He raised an eyebrow slightly. "How long do you think it'll be before someone comes around here again, hmm?"

Missy was very still for a moment, then smiled, though Mystery noticed that her smile shook slightly. "You cannot be serious."

"Oh, I try never to be serious. Never knowingly be serious," he said to Mystery. "In this case, I'll just be gone. And I'm taking that with me."

He hopped up onto the platform and picked up the simple box that was the Moment. "On second thought," he muttered, groaning under the weight, "Jack, you can take it." He handed the box over to the captain, who grunted, but bore it much more easily than the Doctor.

"Whatever you say, Doctor," Jack said with a grin, hefting the box. "I work for a living!"

"Yes, yes." The Doctor waved him off towards the TARDIS. "River, take Missy out of here. Shut her up somewhere safe, somewhere unpleasant, just so long as she's out of the way. "

"Oh, I think I can do that," River said, walking over to the Time Lady and hauling her up by one arm. "I was locked up here once," she said conversationally, "as a baby. Just my mother and I, in the middle of an army. That ought to do you some good." She smiled, without a hint of warmth. "It certainly will hold you."

"Sounds perfect," the Doctor said, grinning at the memory. "And do watch out for her. You can never be too careful."

"Since when did you start being careful?" she muttered. "You will be following?"

"Would I let you leave without me? I'll be right behind you. There's one more thing I have to do."

River raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what is that?" Mystery giggled a bit. It was good for the Doctor, she decided, to have someone around that knew all his tricks and wasn't afraid to call him out. Better still, that someone was his wife.

The Doctor sighed. "I'm going to lock these controls, just to make sure our slippery friend here," he said, glancing over at Missy, who gave him a pout, "can't ever use them again. Satisfied?" He tossed River a TARDIS key. "Get her ready to go, would you?"

River caught the key and pocketed it, grumbling a bit, but she followed Jack out of the room, dragging the protesting Missy along behind. Mystery started to troop after them, cursing her newfound aches, but stopped when someone called her name.

"Mystery," the Moment said softly. Mystery turned to see her leaning against one wall, opposite the controls. She walked over to stand in front of the blonde woman, arms crossed.

"Didn't Jack just take you out of here?"

Bad Wolf sniffed, her eyes flashing gold. "As if I'd let myself be tied to a simple box. No, Mystery, I go where I please, and right now…" She studied Mystery for a moment, her eyes lingering on her wrinkled face, then glanced back at the Doctor. "I've a few more things to say."

Mystery raised an eyebrow. Behind her she could hear the Doctor tinkering the with the base's controls. "I've never much been a fan of long, drawn-out goodbyes," she informed her, "so if that's what it is, forget it."

"Oh, this isn't goodbye, Mystery," the Moment told her, smiling. "You're far too interesting for me to give up now. I'll see you again, I promise you that. Even if you don't see me. Although," she added suddenly, "just because it isn't goodbye for me, doesn't mean it won't be goodbye for them."

Involuntarily, Mystery glanced towards the door where her friends had gone. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Done!" the Doctor announced. "All shut down. You'd need a sonic screwdriver to start this place up again." He walked up behind Mystery and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on," he said gently. "Time to go."

"What do you mean?" she asked again, ignoring him. The Doctor said nothing, for which she was grateful, merely squeezing her shoulder encouragingly.

"You've rewritten the entirety of the universe," the Moment explained. "An earthquake in the fabric of space and time. Did you really think there wouldn't be a tsunami?"

Mystery began to feel a bit faint, her arms and legs tingling. _If this is old age,_ she thought angrily, _I don't like it._ "What's going to happen?" she demanded. "And why hasn't it happened yet?"

"Oh, it has happened," Bad Wolf told her. "It is happening, it will happen. You are the eye of the storm, Mystery. The rest of them maybe felt a shock, little confusion, that's all. But you?" She shook her head. "This asteroid will get hit worst of all."

"What do you mean, _hit?"_ she asked suspiciously. "Just tell me. Please. Don't you think I've got a right to know?"

The Moment smiled, her eyes burning golden. "I never planned to keep it from you." She sighed. "Something that big is too much for the mind to handle," she told her. "It's… beyond comprehension. You can only ever grasp at the edges of it. And I'm afraid that's all that will be left."

"No." Mystery shook her head. Was it her imagination, or was the Moment's entire body glowing golden now? "I won't forget everything, not again. I refuse."

"You won't have to," Bad Wolf reassured her. "Being there with me, connected to me… it changed you, in ways I'm not even sure of. There's no telling what you'll be capable of now. You're wasted there on Earth, you know," she added.

"Maybe so," Mystery said with a hint of a smile, "but I think I'll find some things to do." She blinked hard, noticing that not only the Moment was golden, but the entire room. _Is that part of those changes?_

"But the others," she said aloud. "River and Jack and-" She stopped herself, remembering that the Doctor was right behind her. "Are they going to forget?" She marveled briefly that the Doctor hadn't spoken up long before now. _Unless he could hear both sides of the conversation?_

The Moment nodded slowly. "As soon as you're out of sight, as soon as the TARDIS door closes between you, the entire adventure will be gone. They won't notice a thing," she added with a smile. "Both the human and Time Lord brains are wired to fill in gaps like that. You could miss hours of your life and not be any the wiser."

"That's not fair," Mystery said firmly, flatly refusing to accept it. "That's not right. I've had my memory wiped, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone." Her head began to pound.

"Everything has a price, Mystery," Bad Wolf reminded her. "Your friends will pay for what's happened with a few hours of memory. Your price is to be forgotten. To Jack Harkness and River Song, 'mystery' will only be a word, not a name or a person. The Doctor will never have found you again, will still be wondering what became of you."

"No, no, wait," Mystery protested. "You never said- I've already paid! I got old, I'm old, look at me, I've paid!"

She held up her hands to show off her wrinkles, but found them instead smooth and young, covered in golden light - regeneration energy. "But that's not mine," she whispered, "that's not me…"

"I'm sorry, Mystery," the Doctor whispered. She looked over her shoulder in horror and found that the golden energy was streaming off his hand - the hand still gripping her shoulder.

"Doctor, no!" she cried, trying desperately to wrench away. "You can't, I said you can't, Doctor please-"

"It's done," he said softly. "It had to be done. You've got a fiance, a life waiting for you. I couldn't live with myself if I took that away from you."

"You wouldn't have to!" she shouted furiously, pulling away at last and whirling around to look the Doctor in the eyes. The pounding in her head was growing, a side effect, she guessed, of the mass healing she was undergoing. "You're going to forget it all anyway!"

"Doesn't matter," he said, shaking his head. "I've spent years forgetting things, but it doesn't change them at all. It'll still be there."

"And you helped him, didn't you?" Mystery asked the Moment accusingly. "What was the plan, distract me so he could do the deed?"

The Moment shrugged. "You made me care for every species ever to exist. When you remember how many of those species came together to make you?" She smiled sweetly. "How could I not care for you most of all?"

"Mystery, very soon this is going to knock you out," the Doctor said urgently. "Your body can't handle the extra stimulus and it's going to shut down, but before it does, I need to know I have your forgiveness. Give me this, Mystery," he pleaded, releasing her at last. "Let me take care of you."

"I haven't got much of a choice, have I?" Mystery grumbled, unconsciousness beginning to pull her in. The Doctor smiled sadly down at her.

"Take what gifts you are given," Bad Wolf told her, her voice warmer than Mystery had ever heard it. "The universe gives only so many."

Mystery sighed, the encroaching darkness dulling her anger. "Yes, Doctor," she said softly, closing her eyes. She began to sink to the floor, and was only dimly aware of the Doctor scooping her up and carrying her out of the room. "I forgive you."

She would never know whether she'd said it out loud.

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, dears. I do hope you took my friend's advice about the soundtrack. Adds to the intensity, I think. And frankly, I'm extremely proud of the intensity of this chapter. I felt like I was building a bomb, bringing in each piece (the golden light she was seeing, her headaches and tingles, etc) and putting it together so carefully that you don't see it for what it is until it explodes. Truly, I'm very very proud. I do hope you all can see why.**

 **Also, I'm glad you like the new title! (At least, I haven't heard of anyone disliking it.) I did change the cover art to reflect it now, which is probably good. Be a bit embarrassing if they didn't match.**

 **I start my new semester tomorrow, so this ridiculous posting-every-other-day thing that's been going on will likely not last. But there's really only a few more chapters in this one, and then on to something new! I'm both excited and sad, but I'm not really going to worry about either just yet. After all, there's a few more chapters!**

 **Once again, I thank you all very much for reading along, and for the new favorites and follows I've gotten. I do so love watching the numbers climb. This story more than doubled in views this month, which is awesome, and I know it's all thanks to you!**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	22. Loose Ends

Mystery opened her eyes groggily. She started to sit up, and instantly the Doctor was there.

"There you go, I've got you," he said, supporting her back gently. "There! How're you feeling?"

"Surprisingly okay," she answered, rubbing her eyes. Truly, she'd expected all sorts of aches, but she felt as if she'd just woken up.

Looking around, Mystery noticed with a smile that she was in the same bedroom she'd had all through her childhood in the TARDIS, the same room she'd woken up in on the day the Doctor first met her - though not the first day she'd met him. The Doctor sat on the foot of her bed, holding a pot of tea. River and Jack were nowhere to be found.

"Did you… Did you tell them?" she asked cautiously.

"That they're going to forget that any of this happened?" The Doctor shook his head. "No. And I don't think I'm going to, either." He shifted slightly. "I had a conversation with Ro-" He stopped himself. "With the Moment, asking if there was any way around it."

"Nothing?" Mystery guessed. The Doctor nodded.

"Even if it could be somehow restored, the memories would still slip away within a few hours. I thought there was no point making them worry. It'll still be there in their - well, _our_ subconsciouses, though," he added gently. "Buried deep. Parts might surface again, we just won't recognize them. Nothing ever goes away completely. Even when something falls away, you can still piece it together from the hole." He shrugged slightly. "Don't give up hope."

Mystery nodded, accepting his decision and his advice. "River is going to be furious once she sees what you've done to me," she said, teasing him. He smiled, as happy as she was to lighten the mood, and rubbed his cheek gingerly.

"Yes," he answered wryly, "she's already… informed me of her displeasure."

"Oh, has she?" Mystery asked, giggling.

The Doctor nodded. "Although I think she may be less displeased once she sees you're alive and well." He stood up and held out a hand to her. "If you're feeling up to it?"

"Of course." She swung her legs out of bed and stood up, ignoring the Doctor's outstretched hand. Instead she tucked her arm through his. "Anything to spare you from more displeasure."

* * *

Mystery smiled as she walked into the main room on the Doctor's arm. After all the madness she'd been through, it was nice to be somewhere so familiar and normal.

 _My normal is a time machine that's bigger on the inside,_ she thought, amused. _What I life I've led._

Jack and River were bent over the console and appeared to be squabbling over something.

"No, look," Jack was saying, "you need the trip-switch circuit breaker in the psychokinetic threshold manipulator, otherwise you'll never get the interdimensional connection through."

"Don't be ridiculous," River shot back. "All you have to do is hotbind the fragment links and supersede the binary-"

"There you go, see?" the Doctor announced loudly, cutting off their debate. "Perfect health. No damage done." Mystery waved, beaming.

"On your feet again, are you?" Jack asked with a grin, stepping away from the console a little too eagerly. Mystery strongly suspected he was losing the argument.

"Yes," she said lightly, choosing not to comment, "I'm absolutely fine. See?" She held out her arms, detaching from the Doctor, and spun in a full circle.

"I sure do," Jack said, nodding. River elbowed him hard. "Ow!"

"It's good to see you up, Mystery," River said warmly, ignoring the groaning Jack. "No lasting damage?"

"Not damage, no," she replied, her voice faltering a bit. She knew River heard it, but thankfully, the older woman didn't press.

"I did tell you so," the Doctor put in. "Now what are you two on about, eh?"

River and Jack glanced at each other, almost guiltily. "We were trying to send the coordinates to Torchwood," River explained. "Where and when to meet Mystery and I."

"A week into the past," Jack put in. "That's when we got them. And a request for memory-restoring technology. Nothing too specific, though," he added with a grin. "Otherwise I might get suspicious."

"We were having a… disagreement… as to how to go about it," River added.

"Ah, that's easy enough," the Doctor said, bounding down the stairs to the console. "Here." He punched a few keys, then twisted a dial. "Just input the coordinates and send 'em off," he explained. "Nothing to it." River shot him a disgusted look.

"Can I do it?" Jack asked. "I've always wanted to play a joke on my past self. Never really got the opportunity before. I was so baffled, wondering who sent it…" He grinned. "I suppose I should have known."

"Suit yourself," the Doctor told him, watching as Jack keyed in the commands to make sure he did it correctly.

Mystery laughed softly. _Men and their toys,_ she thought. _They just get a bit more high-tech than most._

"Now then," the Doctor said eagerly, rubbing his hands together, "where to next? How about the Tumescent Arrows of the Half-Light? They can fracture fifteen different levels of reality-" He beamed. "- _simultaneously,_ can you imagine? Or the Water Hags, they're lovely. Or maybe-"

"Actually," Mystery cut in delicately, following him down the stairs at a more sedentary pace, "I was rather thinking… back to Earth?"

"Earth, yes," he said with a nod, "why not? We can visit the Romans, love a Roman. Hmm. How do you feel about Woodstock?"

"Hippie," River muttered. The Doctor made a face at her. "You know that's not what she means."

"It's just… I've got a whole life waiting for me," Mystery said awkwardly. "Evin's still asleep in a tent in Switzerland, and he doesn't even know I'm gone. I'm still studying for my degree, still doing my research…" She shrugged helplessly. "I can't just drop all of that."

"I wouldn't mind getting back to my team, either," Jack put in. "The kids get lazy when Dad's away." He winked at Mystery, who smiled.

The Doctor nodded slowly, his smile fading somewhat. "Right," he said tightly. "Of course. You've got humany-wumany lives, still. Don't need a daft old Doctor, eh?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Mystery said firmly. "I just-"

The Doctor raised a hand, cutting her off. "I know, Mystery. It's alright. Live your life. All those hundreds of little adventures I can never have." He shrugged. "Just because I can't have them, doesn't mean you shouldn't." He smiled sadly. "This isn't the first time I've done this. And it's good for me, I think," he added. "Reminds me that not all adventures have to be about saving the universe." He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

River walked up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He smiled at the ground and placed his hand on top of hers, squeezing it tightly.

Jack nodded slowly. "We'll see you again, yes? You've got a _time machine_ , Doctor." He grinned. "Come around and visit sometime."

"Of course," he said immediately. "It's never the end. Time," he added, back to his light self, "is not the boss of you."

Mystery couldn't help but notice, though, that his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. River's expression told her that she had reached the same conclusion. _He doesn't like endings._

"Well then, I suppose we'd best be off," the Doctor said, turning to the console - and away from the gazes of his friends - and punching in commands. "No sense drawing it out, eh?"

He pulled down a lever, the sound echoing around the room with an odd sense of finality. The engines began to churn, so loudly that Mystery almost - but not quite - missed the Doctor's whispered " _Geronimo."_

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, loves. I feel like I've been gone a dreadfully long time, but it's only been a few days, hasn't it? Perhaps I'm addicted. Ah well, the better for you lot. Also, I'm aware this chapter is somewhat short, but it'll mean a much longer next chapter, which is to your benefit, so be happy. Honestly, the next chapter may be the last, which is sort of crazy, but also good, I think. Mystery and I have been running together for quite some time now, and perhaps it's time to move on. In any case, we're not done just yet, so save your farewells.**

 **Also, I need to stop listening to Doomsday music while I'm writing. It brings out the feels in me. I wish I could say I was sorry but I'm not, not even a little bit.**

 **We have now officially hit 2,000 views, which is pretty great. I'm beyond grateful to you people for all of this. I can promise Mystery would not be the person she is today were it not for the love she has received from her fans, and I doubt I would be the writer I am. I cannot appreciate you all enough. Finish this out together, eh?**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	23. Farewell

Somewhere high in the Swiss Alps, in the middle of a forest, the early morning silence was broken by a sound not of this world: the _vworp vworp_ of a Type 40 TARDIS coming in to land. When at last the little blue box had fully materialized, the doors swung open, spilling light out among the darkened trees.

The four inhabitants of the strange box stepped out into the chilly morning air. Mystery was last - she found herself with a strange reluctance to leave, running her hands along the console, the railing, the familiar wooden door.

 _It's not the last time,_ she reminded herself firmly. _Whatever happens after this, it is not the last time. I_ will _find my way back._

"Here we are!" the Doctor announced brightly, though not, Mystery thought, quite as cheerfully as usual. "Earth, Switzerland, right between the camp site and the crash site." He winked. "Good, eh? You can both pretend you've gone for a little walk in the woods," he said to Jack and Mystery, then glanced at his watch. "We're back two minutes after we left, so no rush."

"Why would I need to pretend?" Jack asked, puzzled. "The rest of my team saw us take off, it's not like they're going to forget that."

Mystery sucked in her breath, deliberately not looking at the Doctor.

"The exercise should do you some good," the Doctor told him, somewhat awkwardly. Jack, however, didn't seem to notice.

"You're one to talk," he snorted. Then he held out his arms, grinning. "Come on, Doctor."

Beaming, the Doctor returned his hug, pounding him on the back. "Good to see you again, Jack. Take care, yes?"

"Ah, you know me," Jack said with a wink. He then turned to River, ready for another hug, but stopped at her raised eyebrow. Instead, he snapped off a sharp salute. "A pleasure to meet you, Professor Song," he said formally.

River inclined her head slightly. "Likewise, Captain Harkness," she replied, smiling. "Best of luck with Torchwood."

Jack chuckled. "You just make sure to stay out of our way."

"As if," she retorted. He nodded, accepting her statement with a grin.

"Whatever you say, boss." Then he turned to Mystery. She accepted his hug gladly, kissing him on the cheek once before they separated. He smiled down at her, still holding her shoulders gently. "I never had a chance, did I?"

"Nope," she said with a grin. He shrugged good-naturedly.

"Ah well. I didn't really think so. That fiance of yours is a lucky man."

"I'll tell him you said so," Mystery promised, smiling, ignoring the little pang of guilt reminding her that very shortly Jack wouldn't care whether she told Evin anything or not.

"Right then," Jack said, stepping back and burying his hands in his long trench coat. "I guess I'd better be off." He flashed them a grin.. "See you around, Doctor. River." He winked. "Mystery." With a little wave, Captain Jack Harkness turned and headed off into the dusky forest.

"How long?" Mystery whispered, watching him go.

"Just until he's out of sight," the Doctor answered softly, looking away. "Then it's gone."

River clearly noted the exchange, but asked no questions, to Mystery's intense relief. Mystery kept her eyes firmly fixed on Jack's retreating form. He looked back once, but Mystery could never be sure whether it was in farewell or in question. He didn't return, however, and soon he was lost among the darkened forest.

 _He's forgotten everything,_ she thought. _Already, everything's gone. I'm gone._

"I suppose I'd better be off as well," she said softly, looking away at last. "Wouldn't want Evin to find me missing." She looked at River, who was leaning on the TARDIS door. "Are you going back to that pod?"

"That old thing?" River shook her head, curls bouncing. "It was past its prime before I ever got my hands on it. No, I've got a much better mode of transportation now," she said, smiling up at the Doctor. "After all, we've only just found each other again."

"Good," Mystery said decisively, nodding. "That's good. He needs someone."

"Even if he won't admit it," River added, bumping her husband lightly with her hip.

" _He_ is right here, you know," the Doctor told them, though he was smiling. "River, perhaps we'd best make our goodbyes? Dawn approaches."

"I'd almost think you were eager to be off," Mystery teased, though her voice trembled somewhat. She was doing her best not to cry, fighting it with all she had. _It's not the end, it's not the end, it's not the end…_

"Well, you know me," the Doctor said easily. Mystery nodded and turned to River.

"I'm glad I finally got to meet you," she said earnestly. "I've been hearing about you for ages," she added, glancing at the Doctor.

"It was a meeting long overdue," River agreed, "and I - oh!"

Ignoring all the warnings that had put Jack off, Mystery had reached in and hugged the older woman tightly. After a moment of surprise, River hugged her back.

"Take care of yourself," she said at last, as Mystery released her. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Now there's some dangerous advice," Mystery said with a smile. "I'll do my best."

"Then I should think you'll do very well," River told her, stepping away. "Doctor, if you don't mind, I'll go prep the TARDIS. It's my turn to pick where we go, and I'd rather it be a surprise." Her smile promised adventures of more than one kind.

"I'll only be a moment," the Doctor replied as she stepped into the TARDIS and closed the door.

Mystery and the Doctor stood in silence for a moment, unsure, somehow, of what to say. _What do you say to someone when you know they're going to forget the entire conversation immediately after it ends?_

"She's forgotten now, hasn't she?" Mystery asked, glancing at the blue wooden doors behind the Doctor, shut tight.

"I expect so," the Doctor answered, glancing up at her. "Just me now. The only one left who remembers."

"Just you." With a slight smile, she said, "It's funny, isn't it? I mean, everyone always says you can't take the future for granted." She shrugged. "Turns out you can't take the past for granted either."

"Oh, you should never take anything for granted," he told her softly. "The minute you do, you stop learning, stop caring. And you never want to do that."

"No, we can't have that," Mystery said, smiling in spite of herself.

"There you go, cheer up, that's the way." He smiled encouragingly, gently lifting her chin with one finger. "Besides, there's always now, yes? Always the present. You can't discount that, eh? You always get that, even if you don't like it much."

Mystery laughed, gently knocking his hand aside. "I suppose you're right." A reflection off the TARDIS window caught her eye, and she turned to see the sun beginning to peek over the horizon, bathing her in a golden light that was, for once, entirely natural.

"You know, you'd think with a time machine, you'd be able to watch as many sunrises as you like, over and over again," the Doctor murmured, stepping up beside her, "but somehow I can never seem to find the time. Not since I left Gallifrey, anyway."

"Not since you started running, you mean?" she asked, smiling up at him.

"Something like that, yeah."

"I thought so." Mystery stepped away a bit so she could look him in the eyes. She was suddenly very conscious of their height difference. "Take some time now and then, alright? For me. And I know you won't remember me saying so," she said before the Doctor could say anything, "but it'll still be there in your subconscious, right?"

"I can't call it up on command," he reminded her gently. "That's not how it works-"

"I know and I don't care." With a deep breath, she said, more calmly, "Just… just stop for a minute sometimes. You're the one who's always saying that nothing is worthless. The universe wants to be noticed, Doctor." She shrugged. "Who better than you?"

The Doctor said nothing, merely wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. Mystery laid her head on his shoulder, smiling at the rising sun.

"It all seems so far away," she said softly. "So much has happened, I've got all these memories that I didn't have only hours ago, and now I've got to be Elizabeth Lancaster again…" She sighed. "It's going to be different."

"It's going to be brilliant," the Doctor assured her, squeezing her gently. "You still are Elizabeth Lancaster, you know, but now you've added Mystery in as well, that's all. Even more experience, more personality. Nothing has to change, but everything could. It's up to you." He grinned down at her. "I don't know about you, but I'd much rather meet this Elizabeth."

"I think I would too," Mystery replied. "Lucky me." She closed her eyes, letting the sun warm her face.

"Look at that," the Doctor said softly. "It's the very first day of the rest of your life."

"Isn't it always?"

"Yes. So?" She laughed. "I'm serious." He glanced down at her. "Make today a beginning, Mystery. Don't make it an end."

She nodded. "I'll do my very best."

"That's all I ever ask."

Mystery smiled up at him, then hugged him hard. "I'm going to miss you, Doctor," she whispered into his chest. His hand came up to stroke her hair.

"I know," he murmured. "I should hope so. And I think… I think somewhere, I'll miss you too." He kissed the top of her head, then let her go. He stepped over to the TARDIS, placing a hand on one silver handle. "Until the next time, Elizabeth Lancaster," he said with a grin.

"Goodbye, Doctor," she replied, smiling fondly.

The Doctor stepped into the TARDIS, flashing her one last smile before the doors closed. A moment later, she heard a clunk and a whirr, then the heartbreakingly familiar engine sound. Slowly, the little blue box faded out of sight, blasting her face with wind, the light on top flashing dimmer and dimmer until the forest was quiet and still, leaving the young woman alone, tears finally flowing down her face.

After a few moments of staring at the empty forest floor, Elizabeth Lancaster sighed, then turned and walked off into the woods. Although she didn't know it, a strange blonde woman dressed in rags watched her go, smiling sadly.

"Goodbye, Mystery," she whispered. "We will meet again." Then she, too, faded into nothingness.

Elizabeth was pleased to discover that she had been dropped off hardly a dozen meters from her tent. Quickly, she stripped off her shoes and ducked inside. Evin was fast asleep, hands crossed over his chest.

With a smile, Elizabeth kissed his cheek softly, and whispered, "Just so you know, Jack Harkness says you're a lucky man." Then, smiling broadly, she slipped into her own sleeping bag, rolled over on her side, and closed her eyes, ready to dream once again of the mad man in the blue box, soaring through space and time - though this time, she knew, when she woke up, it would no longer be a dream, but a wonderful reality.

* * *

 **A.N: ...**

 **I'm done.**

 **Guys, I'm done. The end. Wow. I'm so emotional right now it's embarrassing.**

 **Okay, shock over. I do hope you all liked my ending, because I'm rather fond of it. I do hate to say goodbye to Mystery, for she has been with me nearly as long as the Doctor has, but, as he told her, this doesn't have to be an ending.**

 **For those of you curious as to a continuation of her adventures, you may notice that I have left myself many many holes in which to put another story, so my options are open, but all I'll say is this: If I ever do another one, it will be after her regeneration. It will be rather different from the first two. And it will not be for quite some time. I have many other, better developed ideas to attend to first (if you're curious, my agenda is posted in my bio).**

 **If you want to keep up with my work, I highly encourage you to favorite and/or follow me as an author, because I am planning to jump right into the next story, and I'd love to be able to keep some of you. I do so like having familiar readers. Even those of you lurking there in the dark who never review (I know you're there, don't lie to me, you know who you are), I'd first of all love to hear from you, but even more so I'd love to have you come along in my further adventures with the Doctor.**

 **Well, I suppose I shall bid you farewell. Thank you so so much for reading along and supporting me. I know this will never be as popular as the original, such is fate, but I want you to know how much I cherish every view to any of my works. It's a beautiful feeling knowing that Mystery's adventures are being read all across the world, and I cannot thank you enough. I remain faithfully yours.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	24. And It's A Trilogy

HELLO EVERYONE!

Guess what. If you haven't heard, this series is now recieving a _third_ story called She's Back. The first five chapters are up as of now, so there's plenty to dive right into. If you've enjoyed this story and the other as well, I highly highly recommend you keep going. I owe Mystery a big finish, and I'd hate for you all to miss it. We'll have all the old favorite faces, as well as some new ones, and a few that just might surprise you if I play my cards right. Here's hoping. See you in the reviews of She's Back!

-Forever the Optimist


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